Grit?????

[Tigg]

I am new to raising chickens so please excuse my ignorance. I am reading lots of how to's and advice on here. I know to teach the chickies, which are due to arrive this month, how to drink and eat when we get them. Do I have to teach them to eat grit also? Someone told me to mix some grit in their food. Is that correct? Thank you for any answers.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/chickcare.html
grit recommendations here for new chicks

To the OP:
I put grit in a black rubber feed pan in the coop sometimes, or sprinkle it outside on the ground. Usually I mix a tiny amount into the feed now and then. They don't need much of it really. They will pick it out and eat if if they need it.

 

[Tigg]

Thank you ChickensAreSweet for the link you gave! God bless.

 

[3riverschick]

All kinds of info on grit and how to use it : Gran-I-Grit ;
North Carolina Granite Company. Selling Poultry Grit since 1935.
http://www.ncgranite.com/crushed-stone-surry-county/cut-stone-mt-airy-nc/gran-i-grit-products.html
Every formula I found is below 10.00 for 50 lbs. I get mine at Agway :
Company product brochure PDF . Note the 20% increase in eggs.
http://www.ncgranite.com/images/gritmailer.pdf

Gran-I-Grit has 5 sizes available.
Starter(size 1/16"-3/32")
Grower (3/32"-3/16")
Layer (3/16"-5/16")
Turkey (5/16"-7/16")
Turkey Finisher (7/16"-5/8")

All info below from the following page:
http://tinyurl.com/lybg9lj

How to use:
Broilers:
Grower size for next four weeks.
Feed Developer Layer size after six weeks.
Layers:
Feed Starter size for three weeks.
Feed Grower size for next four weeks.
Feed Developer Layer size after seven weeks.
Turkeys: Feed Grower for size for three weeks.
Feed Developer-Layer size for next five weeks.
Feed Turkey size for next six weeks.
Feed Turkey finisher size after fourteenth week.
Amount to Feed
Usually a bird will eat no more grit than it needs,
which for a layer is 1/6 to 1/3 lbs per month.
For an adult turkey 1/3 to 2/3 lbs per month. If an
occasional flock eats too much grit, change to the
next larger size.
Birds pass out grit that is too small. The best rule is to
feed the largest size the birds will eat in normal quantities.

Best Regards,
Karen in western PA

 

[irishlotfarms]

Tigg,
Since chickens are good scavengers, they find the grit by themselves. So you probably will not have a problem.