Do i need to supply grit in the winter?

[tigerkitten45]

Hi, just wondering if i need to put a grit feeder in my coop for winter feeding? My flock gets starter/grower crumbles, cracked corn and occasionally i feed them scrambled cooked eggs with their shells included. Is grit necessary or does the grit they got from free-ranging during the good weather enough, does it stay in their gullets or do they need to continually eat it?

 

[knjinnm]

Chicken do need a year round supply of some kind of grit to process seeds or any course food they are eating. Make a grit feeder out of a length of up upright PVC pipe. It's compact and out the way. Search BYC for plans.
Joe

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

You can offer it in a seperate feeder, or just continue putting it in their feeder like I do. But yes, they need it year round. They still digest the same food in the winter as they do the rest of the year, and grit moves through their system just like the rest of their feed.

 

[tigerkitten45]

Thanks everyone for the quick responses!! This is my first winter with my flock so i am very happy to have BYC and it's readers to watch my back! So far so good, am amazed at the egg production i am still getting!