sand for baby chick grit

[jakmak71]

I just got 4 baby chicks that are all less than a week old. They have pine shavings in their brooder, but I am going to put rough sand in their future coop. Is it okay to boil some sand from outside for their temporary grit ?

 

[Judy]

They will eat the rough sand you put on the coop floor. As they get older, it is said they should have "real grit," or granite, available, but many chickens don't eat any, presumably because there is enough grit in the soil, which tey pick up while foraging. I keep grit available at all times, buying an $8 or so bag for 9 hens -- which lasts 2 or 3 years.

 

[jakmak71]

Can I just give them a cup of washed paver sand for grit until they grow ?

 

[3riverschick]

I just got 4 baby chicks that are all less than a week old. They have pine shavings in their brooder, but I am going to put rough sand in their future coop. Is it okay to boil some sand from outside for their temporary grit ?

Go to the store and get them a small bag of chick grit. It is very small granite special for chicks.
Cost is small and granite makes an excellent grit. They don't need much. Some feed stores
like Agway will sell it by the pound which makes it real cheap. Just buy a pound or two.
Make sure you ask for chick grit, not grower/developer or adult grit.
Best,
Karen in western PA

 

[jakmak71]

I will get some chick grit, but would sand be okay if I boiled it in water then gave it to them ?

 

[mortie]

No need to boil. I have been giving my chicks dirt and sand from outside to play in to purposely expose them to outdoor microbes so they can build their immune systems prior to being put outside. If they are raised in a "sterile" (in quotes because it's not really sterile, but I think you know what I mean) environment, when they are finally introduced to all the outdoor organisms, it can be a little overwhelming for their systems. The way I supplied my chicks with grit was by putting a clump of grass with plenty of dirt still attached to it (and yeah when they were little I had to chisel that out of the frozen ground) and they went to town on that, got some grit, AND got to build up their immune systems.

 

[jakmak71]

Thank you all for the replies, and mortie that sounds like a great idea which I will try later today!

 

[jakmak71]

Am I able to give them other food besides their starter after they get the grit from the dirt ?

 

[mortie]

I gave mine mealworms and strawberry tops and a couple of other things after I started giving them the outdoor dirt and they've been fine.

 

[jakmak71]

I gave mine mealworms and strawberry tops and a couple of other things after I started giving them the outdoor dirt and they've been fine.  

Okay thank you, I just couldn't find any of this information anywhere else.