# Sand in Brooder?



## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

Our chicks are 3 weeks and 3 days and we are considering using sand to put in their brooder. We have a tray and we sprinkled some sand on it for them to scratch at. I was just worried they would eat it. I heard somewhere that a "chick grit" substitute would be sand. When I put it in there they started chowing down on it, so we took it out. 


Thanks!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If they are not getting seeds or any hard food they don't need grit. I would leave the sand for when they're a bit older.


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## Wigwam7 (Mar 29, 2017)

robin416 said:


> If they are not getting seeds or any hard food they don't need grit. I would leave the sand for when they're a bit older.


Ok, their food is hard crumbles. It's not fine, but it works for them.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Crumbles don't need grit to be digested. Hard things like corn or seeds do.


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## Maryellen (Jan 21, 2015)

My coops have sand. For the baby chicks they start out with shavings with a baking pan of sand for dust bathing. They do eat a bit when I put the baking pan in but it's not much once they realize it's not food they stop. and then once they go into the big coop they get introduced to sand.


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