Parakeet grit question

[kuntrychick]

I had went to Petco to try to find some parakeet grit to give to my 1 month old chicks, but the only kind I found was called Hi-Cal Grit or something like that because it has a lot of calcium in it. Is that ok? Is it too much calcium? Do they even need grit at that age?

BTW...here's the ingredients in it from Petco's website:

Ingredients
Granite grit, oyster shell, calcium carbonate, dicalcium phosphate, salt, charcoal, mineral oil, orange oil, zinc oxide, manganous oxide, ferrous carbonate, copper oxide, calcium iodate, cobalt carbonate.


Guaranteed Analysis
Calcium (min.) 17.5%, calcium (max.) 21%, phosphorous (min.) 0.25%, salt (min.) 2%, salt (max.) 3%.

 

[canada-goose]

My advice: don't use it. Calcium isn't good for chicks.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

I personally wouldn't give it to mine. That percentage is a lot of calcium for young chicks. I wouldn't worry about their calcium until they start laying, just their regular feed. I've read that too much calcium can cause kidney damage. You can get plain grit at a feed supply store. If you are only feeding the chicks starter crumbles then you don't need the grit. You need the grit when you start feeding them snacks such as scratch, then they will need the grit to break it down to digest it.

Marty

 

[kuntrychick]

Quote:
That's what I was worried about. Glad I asked instead of buying it.

At what age can chicks eat some snacks? I noticed them catch a moth flying around their light, so I figure they're ready for something else, so I did give them a cricket ...1 cricket with 4 chicks...what a hoot to watch! LOL

That made me really start thinking about some grit for them. I noticed on the bag of grit at TSC that it says something about not giving to chicks less than 10 wks old, so I wasn't sure what grit to get them.

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

My chick grit says 10wks or less. My chicken grit says 10wks or more. I got these from TSC. I don't start giving mine grit until they the reach 4wks. of age. I only give it to them incase I decide to start giving them treats or letting them get some yard time. Some give grit earlier, some later, just personal preferance I guess.

Marty

 

[kuntrychick]

Quote:
OK, thanks. The only grit I saw at my local TSC was the one that said 10 weeks or more.

 

[aushepherd]

I have worked with cobalt carbonate in the past. Nasty stuff!!! Irritant to the respitory tract and skin. Ingestion can affect you internal organs. It is used to make coloring in ceramics, such as floor tile. Causes cancer. Why it is in feed is beyond me. Naturally occuring I guess.

 

[Ariel301]

On a side note, grit that is marketed for parakeets/cockatiels/other parrots should not be fed to them. Birds in the parrot family do not need grit, as they remove the shells from their seeds (Actually an all seed diet is bad for them too!) before eating them, and do not need a crop full of grit like a chicken does. They may eat it if it is offered, but they do not need it.

It's probably a lot cheaper to buy chicken grit than the little boxes made for caged birds anyway.

 

[kuntrychick]

Quote:
I thought I had seen on here and also in the book Raising Chickens for Dummies that chicks can have parakeet grit. The reason I asked before I bought it was because the only one I've seen in my area is that one I mentioned with high calcium in it.

I can't find chick grit in my area. I found chicken grit for chickens 10 weeks and older but haven't been able to find chick grit.

 

[Chris09]

That is way to much calcium for chicks..
I would say if you need/ want to feed chicks grit because you are feeding grain or greens and cant find it then go to Lowe's and pick up a bag of all purpose sand it is in the mason aisle.
It is a little courser and a lot cheaper than "parakeet grit" and play sand ( here in N.E. Ohio its around $3.00 for a 50 lbs bag )...

Something like this http://www.quikrete.com/ProductLines/SandAllPurpose.asp

Chris