Question about sand and treats

[schmoo]

My chicks are 4 days old today

I am feeding a commercial feed right now (no grit needed) Yesterday they were jumping in their food and scratching in it so, I filled up a frisbee with sand that has teeny tiny rocks in it and set it in with them to see if they wanted to "play" in it, instead of playing in their food.

Well they jumped in and started eating the sand - is that okay? I took it out until I find out. I don't want them filling their bellies with sand when they need food.

What treats do I start with? and how many days old should they be? I've read to mix some yogurt with the food to help them gain immunity and such.......are there other treats okay at a young age? then I DO give them the sand after (for grit) right?

What exactly is chicken scratch? I saw some at the feed store.

I know tons of questions at once, but I didn't want to make 5 different posts

 

[wallace]

From what I've read here, you can't give them anything but chick food without also giving them "grit". But fine sand, like the kind I bought in a bag to put in the base of one of my kid's toys, is an acceptable form of grit.

My chicks go nuts for sand. Like you, I feel weird about seeing them eat so much of it so I only give them a little bit of it at a time.

 

[keljonma]

Personally I think 4 days is young for treats. I'd wait till they were a couple weeks old. This gives them plenty of time to realize what real food looks like. Remember they will and do peck and possibly eat everything they see...it doesn't matter if it's good for them or not.

Any time they eat something other than commercial feed, they need grit.

Yogurt with active cultures is a good first treat. Grated carrots and apple are good. With all treats, watch their salt intake, too much can be poisonous for your birds. Also whenever you change their diet, it may cause diarrhea. So if you see their droppings change, think first.."did I change their diet" before you panic!

 

[schmoo]

Thank you very much. I'll wait until they grow a little more