How and when to give grit

[Chicken_Chick12]

Hello, first time chicken mom and I want to do everything as well as I can, all help is appreciated! My chicks are 6 weeks old and I would love to get them out on grass and dirt soon. (They have been outside lots, but only in concrete) The back of the bag I bought said for chickens 3 weeks -adult. So my question is when and how do I give them grit? Thank you!!

 

[Mary Poopins Love]

You can offer grit free choice, the grit is good, and don't use eggshells, to much calcium

 

[SandyRiverChick]

For me the "when," is first week, chick grit. The "how," is first in it's own little dish and sprinkled around the brooder in pine shavings, cut up straw. Then just toss a little in brooder, then at 3 weeks I give them a big pan of my soil which has a lot of sand in it. No need for grit after they get the sand/soil.

 

[rosemarythyme]

You can just put some in a dish somewhere and they'll take it as needed. At this age they should be able to regulate their intake, but I'd keep an eye on the dish the first few days to make sure no one gorges on it.

 

[zunruffled]

Mine have access to soil mixed with sand. I also offer them separately grit+redstone for pigeons, which I was told is very good for chickens as well - I think it's made of crushed seashells and redstone. I don't mix it in with the food, so they can take only the amount they need. If all you have is soil + sand (fine, but not super fine - about1mm in diameter or slightly larger), that is sufficient.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I also offer them separately grit+redstone for pigeons, which I was told is very good for chickens as well - I think it's made of crushed seashells and redstone.

Not sure what redstone is. Seashells (or any shell material) is not suitable as nonsoluble (digestive) grit for chicks, as it is not hard enough to last and contains too much calcium.

 

[zunruffled]

Not sure what redstone is. Seashells (or any shell material) is not suitable as nonsoluble (digestive) grit for chicks, as it is not hard enough to last and contains too much calcium.

Hi rosemarythyme, this grit contains 23% Ca, so definitely not too much, and certainly better than feeding them crushed eggshells (I actually consume those and find them to be not only highly beneficial but also delicious), which contain roughly 40% Ca.

I looked up the composition of this grit, and here's what I could find:

"Composition: Redstone, seashells, oyster shells, limestone, stomach gravel, flint, charcoal, anise (0.2%)

Analytical constituents: Crude ash 98.5% (41% ash insoluble in HCl), calcium 23%, sodium 0.15%, phosphorus 0.02%".

And here's the composition of the grit specifically for chickens that the same producer sells (not usually available in my area):

"Composition: marine shells, flint, oyster shells, charcoal

Analytical constituents: crude ash 97.4%, lysine 0%, methionine 0%, calcium 19%, phosphorus 0.022%, sodium 0.21%.”


Manufacturer does recommend the former for pigeons/doves only, however this is the grit of choice for chicken growers in my area. My own adult birds seem to like it a lot, too, but they're free range and also have access to plenty of soil and other grit they find in my orchard.

From what I could gather, the main concern with this pigeon grit being used for chickens is redstone not being hard enough as granite grit or flint, which the chicken-specific grit contains a little more of. Aside from that, they're basically the same thing.

So I guess my thought on the matter is: if you have access to chicken-specific grit, which contains slightly more flint and 4% less Ca, by all means go for it. If all you can get your hands on is pigeon grit, with more redstone and a little less flint, that also works just fine.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Hi rosemarythyme, this grit contains 23% Ca, so definitely not too much, and certainly better than feeding them crushed eggshells (I actually consume those and find them to be not only highly beneficial but also delicious), which contain roughly 40% Ca.

So I guess my thought on the matter is: if you have access to chicken-specific grit, which contains slightly more flint and 4% less Ca, by all means go for it. If all you can get your hands on is pigeon grit, with more redstone and a little less flint, that also works just fine.

Interesting, so you don't have granite only grit available where you're at? I have a bag of what I'll loosely term as "gimmick grit" that has some sort of clay added in, but I only bought it because I couldn't find a grower size grit at the time, and wanted the chickens to have a full range of choice in grit sizes.

The main concern is for non layers (i.e. chicks) where the feed only has roughly 1% calcium - 23% is quite a lot higher, even if they don't mainly eat the calcium particles. OP was specifically asking about chicks.

 

[zunruffled]

Interesting, so you don't have granite only grit available where you're at? I have a bag of what I'll loosely term as "gimmick grit" that has some sort of clay added in, but I only bought it because I couldn't find a grower size grit at the time, and wanted the chickens to have a full range of choice in grit sizes.

The main concern is for non layers (i.e. chicks) where the feed only has roughly 1% calcium - 23% is quite a lot higher, even if they don't mainly eat the calcium particles. OP was specifically asking about chicks.

Hi rosemarythyme. I stand corrected. Yes, you are right in that the OP was specifically referring to 6 week old chicks, whereas this would be for layers, from 16 weeks on.