Need a "Final Answer" on age to start grit, LOL!

fluffychicksmomma

In the Brooder
9 Years
Mar 19, 2010
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We have some week old Silkies that I have not yet started on grit. We just got 5 more new silkie chicks today. They're on "complete" chick crumbles. I have heard several different opinions on when to start grit, but I am trying to find out what the general consensus or most widely accepted time-frame would be. Someone said start them from the beginning, someone else said they started theirs at 1 week, and today, the breeder of the new silkies we just got said if they are on complete chick feed, they don't ever need grit. So......should I just start them now to be on the safe side, or is this thought by most to be unnecessary? Thanks in advance for any advice!
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When you give them grit, do you just have it available all the time for them? Or do you sprinkle it on their treats?

I've just been putting it in the bowl with their strawberries or celery or mealworms or whatever they're having for their once a day treat. And I've been using some rather coarse sand (not dirt, definitely sand) from our yard--is that okay? I bought parakeet grit but soon discovered it has calcium. I can't find any chick grit around here.

Sorry to hijack your thread, OP
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Okay thanks, that makes sense to me now. Tiny brings to my mind another question though, does all parakeet grit normally contain oyster shell? I picked up a box the other day and it didn't have a list of ingrdients which I found rather odd, so I didn't buy it because I wasn't sure if it had oyster shell in it or not.
 
They need grit when/if they eat anything other than starter. So, about now is good (1 week) esp if you start tossing in some meal worms, bits of greens and so forth. This is the age their mommy hen would be offering a variety of foods.

I test my chickies: if they get excited over greens and worms and crickets and so forth, not just curious but really eating them, I make sure they have grit!
 
I don't think they need oyster shell in their grit if they are not producing eggs - besides - Chickens would not have access to oyster and are fine. The grit helps the breakdown of the food since chickens don't have teeth. For these young chicks I don't think you need grit with oyster shells
Caroline
 

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