⠀ Nutrition for Pullets such as calcium and grit

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robo17

robo17

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Nov 4, 2015
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I have just started my flock. I have three golden comets and three RIR's. They all are about four months old and beginning to grow their tail feathers. When should I start feeding them calcium and grit? They are still eating crumbles. The Feed store where I purchased them had began to feed them pellets, however, I stayed with the crumbles. I have also introduced them to worms and insects which they love. I had some weeds and plants (nothing special) growing in their run , they have demolished them.
 
Go to the pellets, your chickens are old enough they need they higher density of the pellets. I really am not experience enough to tell you when they need calcium, but probably when they start laying eggs.
 
They don't need calcium until they start laying eggs. It doesn't really matter if you feed pellets of crumble as long as it's a grower feed and not a layer feed.
If they are outdoors and have access to soil, you won't need to provide grit. They will swallow small stones in the dirt for grit.
 
junebuggena said:
They don't need calcium until they start laying eggs. It doesn't really matter if you feed pellets of crumble as long as it's a grower feed and not a layer feed.
If they are outdoors and have access to soil, you won't need to provide grit. They will swallow small stones in the dirt for grit.
Click to expand...

I was told crumbles were more like feeding a candy bar to your grown hens? I may have misunderstood.
 
I think you might mean "scratch" instead of crumbles. Crumbles and pellets are pretty much the same thing, except one is formed into pellets and crumble isn't. Scratch is a treat but shouldn't be make up much of their diet. If they are eating stuff besides chick starter,, like the bugs and greens and such, then yep, you should start them on some chick grit. Just put it in a small container and they'll take what they want. Same with oyster shells when they start laying. You've got this!
 
OrganicFarmWife said:
@Blooie I see, my mistake
Click to expand...
Um, you're smarter than I am because I didn't see any mistake in your response! Mine prefer the density of the pellets over the crumbles - same brand, same formulation otherwise - so there must be something to it!
wink.png
 
If you are, in fact, feeding scratch as their main feed, it's no wonder that they still aren't completely feathered in at 4 months old. Growing, developing birds need a balanced diet. Scratch is not balanced at all. In fact, it's lacking in a lot of nutrients needed for good health. It's also too low in protein to support the growth of a young bird.
 
junebuggena said:
If they are outdoors and have access to soil, you won't need to provide grit. They will swallow small stones in the dirt for grit.
Click to expand...


This is pretty much only true if they have free range over a larger area with ample properly sized stones/rocks, if they are contained in a run they will deplete the appropriate sized rocks/stones in that area pretty quick... Also the type of terrain and local rocks available varies by location, sharp edged hard broken rocks work best... Thus if you live in an area where most of the rocks are round or are sedimentary and soft, it's not optimal for grit...

IMO for the few dollars it cost for a bag of crushed granite that is already properly sized it's not worth not doing...
 
junebuggena said:
If you are, in fact, feeding scratch as their main feed, it's no wonder that they still aren't completely feathered in at 4 months old. Growing, developing birds need a balanced diet. Scratch is not balanced at all. In fact, it's lacking in a lot of nutrients needed for good health. It's also too low in protein to support the growth of a young bird.
Click to expand...

No one is feeding scratch. I got the words scratch and crumbles confused, and gave the wrong info. She is feeding her birds crumbles.
 

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