Grit question.

[jwyles]

Is 14 weeks too young for regular size grit? I've got a mix of large breeds such as brahma & faverolle as well as a couple bantam cochin. All around the same age. TIA

 

[KaylorFarms]

If your chickens are outside, then they won't need grit. They eat pebbles and small rocks from outside

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

They should be more than able tohander regular gritty.

If your chickens are outside, then they won't need grit. They eat pebbles and small rocks from outside

This is based on the assumption the environment these birds are in is sufficient. Season, natural soil content, population, etc are all factors that might make this assumption false.

 

[jwyles]

They should be more than able tohander regular gritty.


This is based on the assumption the environment these birds are in is sufficient. Season, natural soil content, population, etc are all factors that might make this assumption false.

Thanks Ole Grey Mare. Yes I've heard the opposite actually. They don't need grit unless they're outside and diet consists of more than commercial feed. This could very well be wrong too; nonetheless, I started mine in grit as soon as I moved them to their run. Anyways. Good to know. I bought regular grit thinking they were old enough and them when I saw the size I second guessed myself! Thank you for the info. Good to know I won't have to crush this stuff up!

 

[jwyles]

If your chickens are outside, then they won't need grit. They eat pebbles and small rocks from outside

Thank you for your reply Leah

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Thanks Ole Grey Mare. Yes I've heard the opposite actually. They don't need grit unless they're outside and diet consists of more than commercial feed. This could very well be wrong too; nonetheless, I started mine in grit as soon as I moved them to their run. Anyways. Good to know. I bought regular grit thinking they were old enough and them when I saw the size I second guessed myself! Thank you for the info. Good to know I won't have to crush this stuff up!

It's a common thought process, and from a purely digestive point is technically true. Commercial processed feed is water soluble and does not require grit to digest. There is, however evidence of the advantage of providing appropriate gtit at all stages of development. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/the-science-of-feeding-grit-to-poultry.891051/

 

[kitkat5505]

If your chickens are outside, then they won't need grit. They eat pebbles and small rocks from outside

So the "grit" they get naturally from pecking at the ground is enough? I've been worried about mine because they used to love the grit I'd put out but now they don't touch it. They do eat bugs and grass and stuff in their run and dust baths, are they getting enough grit for the occasional treats I give them?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

If they've torn up the sod to get down to dirt for dust baths then they got to enough grit. Not to mention whatever size size stone they wanted/needed.

I don't worry at all about grit until mid winter if there hasn't been a brief January thaw. I keep a small bucket of small gravel from the driveway over winter for that reason. Toss a few handfuls down every two or three weeks if it's been frozen everyday.

 

[JULIE L CORWIN]

Adding to the grit question. Mine are in the brooder. It says to give grit at about 3 to 4 weeks old. The grit looks to big for them that I have. Actually I been giving it to the older chickens. The bag says all types of chickens. Can I take that and hit it with a hammer to crush it? For the newborn chicks. When they are old enough to take it.

 

[mobius]

I had some regular grit and when I had chicks I sifted it in a sifter and got the smaller size...without having to crush...