Chick grit

[Sconiemamabear]

Our chicks are 6 weeks old and we just introduced them to the coop 3 days ago. I started using Mana Pro chick grit at about two weeks. My questions is, when do you switch to normal size grit? They have access to a run that we will try introducing them to today. Do we even need grit once they are out in the run? The chick grit is expensive and the local feed store Carrie’s large bags of normal size grit for pretty cheap. Thank you!

 

[azygous]

All baby chicks and adult chickens benefit from having a wide assortment of grit available to them. I have a run and coops with construction sand for bedding, and I still offer adult grit in a couple of special containers tacked to the sides of the run.

Chickens instinctively select the size of grit that will work best for them. I've noticed my week-old chicks are picking up grit from the construction sand, and I don't offer commercial chick grit for this reason. My adult chickens also supply their gizzards mostly with the construction sand, preferring the smaller grit for some reason. But the larger adult grit is there if they want it.

Make grit available. Chickens will use what they need.

 

[Sueby]

They make grower grit that is between chick & regular grit size. I actually mix that in with the regular grit (which seems huge) for my adult chickens.

My birds have a 1200sf run that has natural grit, I'm sure, but I still supply them with 3 different stations of that & oyster shell so they have a good selection of what they want.

 

[rosemarythyme]

For standard sized birds I use chick grit to about 8 weeks, then I offer a mix of grower (pullet) and layer (hen) grit as I have a mixed age, mixed breed flock and some of the birds prefer a smaller grit. If you want to simplify you can just go from chick to layer grit, and let the birds pick out the size they need.

 

[gtaus]

I live on a lake, so I just use lake sand for the chicks. When they get older, I just start using adult grit. If you have your chicks outside on soil, they probably will find enough grit on their own. Still, I always keep grit and calcium in feeders available 24/7. They really don't eat very much of either. I started out with 10 chicks, and 3 years later, I still have more than half a bag of both grit and calcium.

 

[Sconiemamabear]

Thank you for the replies!