Feeding Grit

[Catfish267]

Do you guys buy grit that's made just for chickens? I was thinking about going to lowes and buying a bag of pebbles/sand stuff. They are like the size of a BB. How bigs is the grit you feed your chickens? There's no way I'm paying ten bucks for a bag of rocks!

 

[TOP KNOT]

I get chipped granite, its not round. Its probably the size of a pencil eraser, give or take. I also use it on the walks when its icy, as salt is bad for the chickens. I get a 2 for 1. I get it in the livestock isle also may be in automotive. It really lasts a long time. As they free range in the warm months, It is not needed then, only winter.

 

[Percheron chick]

I just let them find their own when the free range.

 

[Mahlzeit]

I also do not supplement grit for my chickens as they have a run for when I am at work and they free range after. They go out and find their own grit and for the 9 years I have had chickens I have never had an issue with it.

 

[deacons]

Where I live (NH) they definitely need it supplemented in winter, as they don't have a lot of options to find their own in the winter under the snow. I go through about 5 lbs (costs $5 at feed store) in about 6 weeks with 8 chickens.

I still offer it in warmer weather, but they mostly find their own when free ranging.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I buy the size #3 Cherrystone grit for about $10 a bag but it lasts a really long time. I saw one study that showed that chickens can keep grit in the gizzard for up to a year sometimes. So I just sprinkle it on the feed now and then or toss it around in the run and they eat it up.

 

[donrae]

I bought a 10lb bag (I think, may have been more) about a year ago. They really don't need much, it lasts a long while in the gizzard. I don't keep grit out all the time, I toss a few handfuls out maybe once a month, maybe more or less. I do know my birds didn't get any grit for at least 3 months this summer when I was first diagnosed with leukemia and in the hospital. No one died, they continued to flood us with eggs so it must have been alright. Still have probably 2/3 of that bag. It's a local brand crushed granite for chickens, pretty fine crush. Smaller than peppercorns by quite a bit.