How Often for Grit?

[cackleberryandco]

How often should I be feeding my girls grit? I have chick grit (they're still young) and I planned on giving it it to them in a separate, smaller bowl than their food. Should it be every 2, 3 days or should they have a constant supply? Thanks!

 

[WIchickMama]

Will they be free-ranging or kept in a run? If in a run will they have a dirt floor or something else? I think it all depends on what their living space will be like. If they are free ranging they should find all the grit that they will need. You can just keep it in a can/container that has the ability to drain if it gets full of water and they will take what they need and you can refill as necessary. Or you can throw some out in the run if needed-again depending on your floor-maybe weekly or so, but it won't disintegrate and they will take what they need.

 

[cackleberryandco]

Will they be free-ranging or kept in a run? If in a run will they have a dirt floor or something else? I think it all depends on what their living space will be like. If they are free ranging they should find all the grit that they will need. You can just keep it in a can/container that has the ability to drain if it gets full of water and they will take what they need and you can refill as necessary. Or you can throw some out in the run if needed-again depending on your floor-maybe weekly or so, but it won't disintegrate and they will take what they need.

They live in a run but they get about an hour each day to free range. The run floor is half sand and half dirt. They are happy and healthy but I do think that the time they get isn't enough so I think I will supply them with the grit. Thank you!

 

[GC-Raptor]

I leave Poultry Grit (Granite) available 24/7 beginning at 7 weeks old, in a hanging 40 oz pail with 3/32 holes drilled in the bottom to drain moisture.
GC

 

[Alaskan]

They live in a run but they get about an hour each day to free range. The run floor is half sand and half dirt. They are happy and healthy but I do think that the time they get isn't enough so I think I will supply them with the grit. Thank you!

In a half sand and half dirt run, they probably find all of the grit they need.

However... I see you live in/near Chicago.

When everything freezes up hens can no longer dig about to find grit.

Without grit they do not digest their food as efficiently, so they end up needing to eat more.

So.... it is very nice to have a small dish of grit set up somewhere dry where they can get to it at all times.

Check it on occasion to make sure the ambient humidity doesn’t make it freeze solid.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Best to have it available 24/7, just in case they need it. Off the top of my heat the only time you wouldn't want to have grit freely accessible is if you have chickens gorging on it for some reason, then you may need to limit the amount they get or overall access in order to stop them from just filling up completely on it.

 

[cackleberryandco]

In a half sand and half dirt run, they probably find all of the grit they need.

However... I see you live in/near Chicago.

When everything freezes up hens can no longer dig about to find grit.

Without grit they do not digest their food as efficiently, so they end up needing to eat more.

So.... it is very nice to have a small dish of grit set up somewhere dry where they can get to it at all times.

Check it on occasion to make sure the ambient humidity doesn’t make it freeze solid.

Yes, I live near Chicago where winters do get very cold. My chickens are fairly new (we've only had chickens since May with more that came in July) so we haven't experienced a winter yet. With this in mind, I will supply them with a constant supply of grit. Thank you!