Snack Attack Mineral Grit

[Gdurham]

Does anyone know if it is safe to give fine soluble mineral grit to my chicks? (And later as adults). I have a bag that was given to me, but the label says for small birds like cockatiels and finches. Thanks!

 

[SueT]

Does anyone know if it is safe to give fine soluble mineral grit to my chicks? (And later as adults). I have a bag that was given to me, but the label says for small birds like cockatiels and finches. Thanks!

Grit small enuf for cage birds is too fine to do any good for chickens. It will just pass right thru them.

 

[Jt and Chicks]

I think it's okay but could you send a pic?

 

[rosemarythyme]

If it's soluble grit it's likely high in calcium, i.e. limestone, and therefore not appropriate for chicks. Post a photo of the ingredient panel if you can.

 

[Gdurham]

Sorry for the delay!

 

[RumneyRoost]

It's high in calcium so I wouldn't give it to chicks. Should be fine for adults. The first ingredient is oyster shell so I would treat it as such, not as "grit".

 

[Ridgerunner]

Thanks for posting a photo of that label that is clean enough to read and that contains the important information. That helped a lot.

I agree with the others. Chicks need insoluble grit, often called chick grit. If you buy it the label should read granite as the ingredient. That comes from the waste product of a granite quarry, they sift it to get the right sizes. A really cheap source. Chickens use that in their gizzard to help grind up anything that needs to be ground up. Grain, grass, bugs, whatever. If you give your chicks access to the ground they will find their own grit. You will see them pecking at the ground picking up small rocks. Doesn't have to be granite, they will use whatever they find.

Pullets and hens that are laying eggs need excess calcium for the egg shells. If you feed Layer it has extra calcium in it. Many of us offer oyster shell or some other calcium supplement when they start laying. The stuff you have could work for that.

Excess calcium has been proven to be potentially harmful to growing chicks. The main problems can be that it may mess with their kidneys and liver. They have run experiments where they feed one group of chicks excess calcium, another group not excess calcium and count how many die. They cut the chicks open to look at their internal organs. You do not want to feed your chicks excess calcium.

The way many of us manage flocks that contain laying hens and growing chickens is to feed a low calcium feed (not Layer) and offer oyster shell on the side. The ones that need the calcium for egg shells seen to know it and those that don't need it don't eat enough to harm themselves.