When and what type of grit for chicks?

[dbounds10]

I went to the pet store today and got some meal worms for the girls. First thing they have had other than chick starter. Should I give them grit now that they are eating treats? And can I just give them the boxed parakeet/canary grit?

 

[chicmom]

They have chick grit, which is made of crushed granite. It should be Ok for you to give them another type of grit, as long as it's not oyster shells or something with calcium.....That can cause problems for growing chicks....

If you're giving food other than chick crumbles, then yes, they will need some grit, in my humble opinion....

 

[maizey]

The boxed parakeet grit has calcium in it. Not much, but since it's a big deal for them to get too much calcium, I would avoid the parakeet grit. If the granite grit seems to big for them, put some in an old towel and crush it with a hammer. You can easily pound the stuff to sand...gets out some frustrations too

 

[motoclown]

I put my chicken grit in a spaghetti strainer and used the smaller pieces on hard boiled eggs.
Also put in some rough sand after a few weeks.

 

[happycountryhens]

Quote:
I had the same question...thank you all for helping me too.

 

[Doopy]

This topic brings another question to mind. I hope you guys don't consider this a topic hi-jack. But my question sorta blends well with this discussion.

I have always just taken a handfull of rough and coarse construction sand and toss it into the chicken run. I do this about once a week and have done it this way for many years. Now my grandson is raising some of our hatches by himself (they are almost a week old now) and just yesterday he asked me if he should put the fine chick grit in their food or in some type of container by itself. I was not sure how to answer hes question.

Do most of you folks put the grit right in the food supply? Or do you have a dedicated container in the brooder just for grit? I told him to go ahead and put it in their food but I was just winging it.

 

[dbounds10]

Quote:
Thats a good question - I ws planning to put it in a seperate container but when i did, they went nuts on it and I was afraid they would eat to much so I took it away.

Anyone have advise on this one?

 

[ChickenCrazy09]

Quote:
Thats a good question - I ws planning to put it in a seperate container but when i did, they went nuts on it and I was afraid they would eat to much so I took it away.

Anyone have advise on this one?

I put a little in a separate dish with just a little and gradually add more..as the first time I did this they went insane and inhaled the stuff with no problem but since that one time I add it gradually. I hope this helps

 

[Doopy]

Quote:
I think this is why I first started to toss a handfull in the run only once a week many years ago. The chickens seem to have been fine over the past 18 years. Our chickens free range these days and I don't even have any grit anymore. I guess they get what they need. I don't even think of grit anymore.

 

[packmomma]

I dont feed mine grit. I feed straight chick feed for the first week, then introduce them to scrambled eggs. I dig a whole in my yard where I know there is good soil and get clean dirt. I put it in a container and then when I make their eggs I spoon in a little dirt and mix it together on their plate. They are dirty scrambled eggs. I usually mix the dirt in with whatever food supply I give them like lettuce, yogurt, cucumbers. I dont feed a big variety of food while they are small, just light green veggies and eggs. I cant justifying buying grit when mother hens bring their babies out to eat dirt. I usually go out and find worms under rocks for them too but since worms are pretty dirty already I do not mix dirt with them. Never fed meal worms..again I cant justify buying worms if I have lots of red worms in my garden and yard. I would probably mix dirt with meal worms too, maybe split them in half so they will stick to some dirt. I know its gross but it works. My chicks would kick a container of dirt all over this dog crate, so I dont leave one in. They're freaks of nature right now learning to fly and hopping all over the place!