Sunflower seeds for 12wk old pullets?

[2DogsFarm]

OK to feed black oil sunflower seeds in the hulls to my 12wk olds?

I haven't started feeding grit yet, they get grower crumbles and treats are soft - yogurt with cooked oatmeal, clover and greens from the yard with the occasional handful of crimped oats to scratch for.

If it is okay to feed the sunflower seeds, should I start feeding chick grit too?
Is parakeet gravel an acceptable form of grit?

They are growing like weeds!

 

[cw]

i have been researching the whole sunflower thing. yes feed to them they should be just fine, but i would have started them on the grit at 5 days old,

 

[mediazeal]

hmm, I feed grit when I give greens and oatmeal, etc. The only thing they dont' need grit for is hard boiled egg and yogurt, or so I was led to believe.

I got 'Chick Grit' from the feed store. I was afraid of the calcium added to other things. Maybe others can chime in with more expert help.

 

[Gonzo]

I give ours chick grit daily, you never know when a nice juicy bug or moth will present itself as a treat.

 

[cw]

they need grit to chew there food not just for the calsium, do they get to free range any? receently i culled to male guineas to eat, and opened them up you would surprised at whats in there (larger rock then what i fiqured) (and a ton of broken glass,)

 

[Mahonri]

Sunflower seed shells will lead to impacted crops, even in adults... Don't give it to them.

 

[lunkerchicken]

I give mine unsalted, out of the shell sunflower seeds. I feed them this every now and again as one of there many treats on there menu (spoiled rotten)

.
Last night was yogurt. I put the bowl down and ran for the hills!!! It's like putting a mixer in a mixing bowl - stuff flies everywhere!! It is quite comical to watch, from a distance!

 

[cw]

no not providing enough grit leads to compacted crops, if a small robin can eat them, how come a chicken can not?

 

[windtryst]

Quote:
Good question.
I give my chicks sunflower seeds.
I put a 40lb bag of sand in the run and they eat that for grit.

 

[cw]

i dont beleive there is no reason why a chicken cant eat sunflowers, if every small bird in the world can eat them surly a large chicken could handle them (or thats at least the extension office says)