Is canary grit w/oyster shell OK?

[chickenfever]

I gave my 3 wk olds applesauce, do I need to give them some grit?

And if so, is canary grit w/oyster shell OK? It is all I have been able to find.

 

[gritsar]

They shouldnt need grit for applesauce or yogurt. I'd go easy on the applesauce though, since it can cause diarrhea.
Yes, the grit sold for pet birds, parakeets, canaries, etc is fine for young chicks.

 

[pkeeler]

You shouldn't give chicks calcium supplements as it causes growth problems. They sell parakeet grit without oyster shell that is good for chicks. You should feed grit free choice whether you give treats or not. It makes for healthier chickens to have access to grit as chicks.

 

[tvtaber]

Canary grit is fine but you may find it to be very expensive compared to feed store grit or a scoop of dirt out of the yard. As for the oyster shell, that is not typically added until they start laying, when they'll use the additional calcium to make eggshells (sort of, I'm sure it is more complicated than that!). However, if it is offered free choice there is no reason to think they'll take more than they'll need. The concern is if there is too much calcium in the feed (feeding layer feed too early) and they get it with the food.

We all do the best we can with what we have available, and somehow most of the chickens grow up just fine!