Grit free choice or limit?

[Mistizoom]

Our chicks will be 7 weeks old in two days, we've been mixing in chick grit with the food, but they need to move to the #3 grit (I have the Cherrystone grit) so I put some of that out free choice today. They went to town on it and I'm afraid they are eating too much of it. Should I take it away for a bit or leave them with it free choice? Do I have to worry if they will eat too much of it? They are kind of bored right now as they are stuck in the coop until we are done making the run hopefully in a couple weeks. They get a little supplemental food besides the starter/grower but not too much.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I haven't had that problem with the Adult size Poultry Grit at that age.
I would leave for a half hour and remove.
Grit lasts awhile in the Gizzard, unlike Oyster Shells.
Offer again in a week and see how they respond.

My Barred Rocks went crazy for the Oyster Shells at 17 weeks old, but I left it and after 3 days they stopped indulging themselves. GC

 

[Mistizoom]

I haven't had that problem with the Adult size Poultry Grit at that age.
I would leave for a half hour and remove.
Grit lasts awhile in the Gizzard, unlike Oyster Shells.
Offer again in a week and see how they respond.

My Barred Rocks went crazy for the Oyster Shells at 17 weeks old, but I left it and after 3 days they stopped indulging themselves. GC

Thanks, I do think they ate way too much of it in a short period of time. We took it away and will give them some again next weekend. Hopefully when they get in the run they won't be as bored and they can have it free choice then.

 

[Folly's place]

I never mix either grit or oyster shells with food, they are in separate containers. When my chicks go out to their coop area, at about 2.5 weeks of age, they get grit offered, and if they eat it all, they get more, until some is left. So, free choice, and it's never been a problem.
Mary

 

[Chickmama672]

I haven't had that problem with the Adult size Poultry Grit at that age.
I would leave for a half hour and remove.
Grit lasts awhile in the Gizzard, unlike Oyster Shells.
Offer again in a week and see how they respond.

My Barred Rocks went crazy for the Oyster Shells at 17 weeks old, but I left it and after 3 days they stopped indulging themselves. GC

Not to contradict you, because clearly what you've been doing works, but I've always been told that if they get anything other than crumble/feed that they need free access to grit, especially with the finer chick grit. Is that not correct? I learn something new here everyday!!

 

[GC-Raptor]

Not to contradict you, because clearly what you've been doing works, but I've always been told that if they get anything other than crumble/feed that they need free access to grit, especially with the finer chick grit. Is that not correct? I learn something new here everyday!!

Granite Grit lasts a long time in the Gizzard so removing the Grit from the Chicks that gorged themselves for a week shouldn't shortchange them.

Some Folks on here leave it Free Choice like me.
Others toss some Grit into the chicken pen monthly.
Some never offer Grit because many of them Free Range and the chickens are able to find stones while foraging.

The OP and me mix Chick Grit into feed.
I start mixing Chick Grit into feed at 2 weeks of age, at a ratio of 1 to 40, Grit to Feed until 10 weeks old.
I offer Poultry Grit free choice after 7 weeks, but I never had them over indulge like the OP chicks did.

GC