Baby Grit for the boids!

Because I'm having a hard time getting answers from my local feed store... I'm interested in knowing what to use as baby grit.

My feed store kept saying "You just need grit for layers for calcium." I need oyster shell for my layers for calcium. I asked if there's something specially made for baby chicks or if you just use sand. "Unless they're laying they don't need calcium." Yus I get that, but I don't want to give them calcium. *Facepalm headdesk*

I read that you should give chicks baby grit but not to use Oyster shell because it's absorbed and the amount of calcium could be detrimental.

What do I use...?

You want to use granite grit. You can pick up 3 different sizes at most co-op feed stores. The little grit is for baby birds. BUT unless you are feeding your babies grains you dont need to feed them grit. The pelleted chick starters break down easily, do not have to be ground up in the crop like grain does. BUT once you start feeding them table scraps, grass, grains then you need grit. You could even get canary grit from Pet stores if you wanted for young birds.
The limestone grit is calcium, so make sure you do not use that.

Hidden River wrote:You want to use granite grit. You can pick up 3 different sizes at most co-op feed stores. The little grit is for baby birds. BUT unless you are feeding your babies grains you dont need to feed them grit. The pelleted chick starters break down easily, do not have to be ground up in the crop like grain does. BUT once you start feeding them table scraps, grass, grains then you need grit. You could even get canary grit from Pet stores if you wanted for young birds.
The limestone grit is calcium, so make sure you do not use that.

Thanks Hidden. That's what I needed to know. I found my broody momma has a cackle fit when I feed the other birds their scraps/greens and I cant give her any because of the babies. I'll find some granite on payday and get it down for them. Free choice or mix with food?

Moose thought maybe cuttle bones, but is that calcium as well?

I didn't find chick size grit either so I used a strainer to get the sand and tiny bits out of standard chicken grit then continued giving the large sized grit to the adults. It works great for my small flock of 20 chicks and I use strainers with larger holes as they grow

Grit should be free choice, as should oyster shell. Grit is "teeth" for birds - that's how they chew. Calcium is for eggshells and bones. Grit is NOT calcium. Oyster shell is calcium. Cuttlefish bone (actually an internal shell) is calcium, too. Too much calcium is bad for non-layers. Most birds, like other critters, will take what they need (grit, calcium and food) when offered free choice.

For the babies I just use budgy grit from the pet shops. Just sprinkle it on the feed.

Fowler wrote:For the babies I just use budgy grit from the pet shops. Just sprinkle it on the feed.

I use grit from the pet store as well.

Exactly. The bag of grit I have from the feed store has a list of sizes of grit on it - with a check for the size of grit it is and the smallest listed (which they don't sell, you have to go to the pet store) is "budgie grit".