Questions about grit, "treats", dirt, etc.

My chicks are 5 weeks old now and I started giving them dirt from the yard in their brooder from week 2. I also threw in a clump of grass with the dirt clod attached.
At week 3 I added a bit of bird seed to the dirt box and then cooked some grits and oatmeal and gave it to them. There are about 70 chicks and they had such a hay day! Now I throw Cheerios into the coop where they now reside and still cook them some grits but give them just a bit of uncooked oatmeal as treats. If my hen hatched chicks can do it then so can the brooder chicks. I don't want them to be too delicate. Tender yes, but not too delicate! LOL
 
The recommendation is to start giving layer pellets 4 weeks prior to laying. I feed my 12 week olds everything that comes off the table in scraps, just about lol. This morning they had tomato, cantalope, some mashed hard boiled eggs, banana peppers and some bread. When I first introduced treats I gave them yougurt and oatmeal while still in the brooder box.

Feathers will change as they grow. I noticed 2 weeks ago my polish is getting some red feathers on the back of his neck he is about 22 weeks old. My 12 week old bantam has one feather with a red spot on it that I just noticed yesterday. I love watching the color change as they progress
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I introduced my 3-week old pullets to yogurt last week. You'd think I'd never fed them. Ever. The RIR, especially loves it & guzzles it down.

Beware - they'll walk in it & make a massive mess. I feed mine the yogurt as an "outside" treat only.

My chicks free range in my urban house lot when I'm doing yard work. I've seen them eat slugs, earwigs, caterpillars, pill bugs, & about a ton of dirt has passed through their intestines. They're healthy & happy, and growing nicely.
 

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