A question about chick grit

[JohnsterSpacePoultrygram]

For our family's day-old poultry (some chicks and ducklings), which are going to be arriving soon, we have bought some chick grit (this one specifically) for them. On the bag it says not to start feeding them the grit until they are at least two weeks old. But I've also read that chicks need access to grit as soon as you get them to stop them from choking on their food. So, do I need to start giving them grit as soon as they arrive, or do you wait 2 weeks like it says on the bag before you start giving them chick grit? And if you need to start giving them grit as soon as you get them, will smashing up the grit into smaller pieces and putting it in their feed work if some of the pieces of grit are too large for them? Looking for an answer, and I've included some images.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

For our family's day-old poultry (some chicks and ducklings), which are going to be arriving soon, we have bought some chick grit (this one specifically) for them. On the bag it says not to start feeding them the grit until they are at least two weeks old. But I've also read that chicks need access to grit as soon as you get them to stop them from choking on their food. So, do I need to start giving them grit as soon as they arrive, or do you wait 2 weeks like it says on the bag before you start giving them chick grit? And if you need to start giving them grit as soon as you get them, will smashing up the grit into smaller pieces and putting it in their feed work if some of the pieces of grit are too large for them? Looking for an answer, and I've included some images.

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They only need grit if they are eating anything other than chick crumble (which they shouldn’t be) or if you have them on shavings. I start mine on grit around 2 weeks of age when they go outside.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[JohnsterSpacePoultrygram]

Welcome to BYC!

Thank you. I'm glad to be a new member here!

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

Welcome! Wait the two weeks.

 

[FunClucks]

They have to figure out what food is, and what food is not. In the first week, you don't want them to think the grit is food, fill up on that, and die. But if you have them on pine shavings, they will eat those, so then they need the grit to help break those down. Or once you start feeding them anything besides their commercial crumble (for example feeding treats) they will need grit. Most figure out the food thing pretty quickly.

I raised mine on pine shavings, and they were always randomly eating small pieces. I mixed grit into my chick crumble for the first week or two (3-4 parts crumble, 1 part grit), then free fed the grit separately from the crumble after that. Didn't have any problems.

The grit you've gotten is perfect. It's the right size for chicks, no need to smash. I transitioned them off that to the regular size grit once they were much bigger, and fed both sizes for a while. They still eat some of the chick grit, but after about 4 months there wasn't much interest in the chick grit.

 

[TX Chick Noob]

I had mine on puppy pee pads instead of shavings the first few weeks, and fed only their chick crumble, so didn’t have to worry about grit the first week. When I started bringing them a clump of grass/soil to eat/play/dustbath/etc when they were about a week old then I started sprinkling a little grit in with their food. That way they started getting some in their crops but couldn’t fill up on just that.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I raise my chicks differently - outside - so I abide by what a mother hen would do, and she'd take the chicks out and have them eating all sorts of stuff off the ground. So yes I provide grit immediately (as she would) because the chicks can and will eat bedding, dirt, bugs, etc.

Chicks can gorge on grit, so the way I handle it is I sprinkle a tiny pinch on their food once every few days. By the time they're old enough to switch to larger grit at around 6-8 weeks, they shouldn't want to gorge on it, so at that point I serve grit on the side for them to take as needed.

No need to smash up the grit, since it's chick grit it's already properly sized for them.

 

[K0k0shka]

Good advice already given. I'll add that, as a new chicken owner, it would be good for you to read up on what grit is and what it does, and approach things with understanding. For example, it has nothing to do with choking. Grit is used in the gizzard to grind up the food, because birds don't have teeth to chew it with. Commercial feed like chick starter is pre-ground and clumped into particles, and doesn't need any further grinding. That's why commercial feed on its own can be digested without the aid of grit. So chicks don't need grit if their feed is the only thing they eat, but if they go outside, or are given treats, or eat their bedding, then they'll need grit to help with that.