when to give grit?

[timco]

Our chicks have been on chick starter with nothing else. When should they get some sand or gravel for eating? They are just getting all feathers from down...happy birds!

Tim

 

[MissPrissy]

As long as they are eating commercial feeds they don't need extra grit. The grit is in the feed.

 

[Marlinchaser]

When you start giving scratch, tablescraps or anything that other than thier regular feed they should have grit available.

 

[redoak]

MissPrissy, at our local Agway we bought NatureSmart Organic chick starter/grower and asked if it had chick grit already in it. The owner and one employee weren't sure. The label mentions nothing about grit. My question is: in what form would be chick grit be in, if it were present?

Ingredients: Ground Corn, Ground Wheat, Ground Barley, Wheat Middlings, Soybean meal, Vitamin A supplement, Vitamin D supplement, Vitamin E supplement, Riboflavin supplement, Niocin supplement, calcium pantothenate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, menadiane sodium, blaulfite complex, thiamine, biotin choline chloride, DL methionine, L-Lysins, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, monocalcium phosphate, salt, sodium bicarbonate, manganous oxide, zinc sulfate, manganous sulfate, copper sulfate, ferrous sulfate, copper chloride, zinc oxide, ethylenediamine dihydriodide, calcium lodate, sodium selenite.