How to best give grit to your birds

[Celticdragonfly]

So I have my first 4 chicks in our coop and run, they're 6 1/2 weeks old. We've been giving them chick grit, had just been putting down a little bowl of it, and they've taken and/or kicked out / knocked over the bowl enough that I'm ordering another bag, hopefully it's okay to go up to regular chicken grit at this point.

How do you supply chicken grit to your chickens in such a way as to not just get it all dumped and mixed in with the mulch?

 

[50-45-1]

Free choice..
I also have oyster shell free choice in one of these inside the coop so it stays dry..

 

[Cryss]

Free choice..
I also have oyster shell free choice in one of these inside the coop so it stays dry..
View attachment 1808916

X2!
Don't fret about the spilled grit. Chickens absolutely love scratching to find edible tidbits and grit. I use a dispenser similar to the one pictured but occasionally toss some around the run. If you do some free ranging don't toss it in the yard. There's plenty there naturally.
I use the dispenser for oyster shell too but don't offer that till they begin to lay. It's not healthy for young pullets. I never feed hens layer feed because I may also have pullets. Just offer the shell. Note, oyster shell is not a substitute for grit. Offer both.

 

[SueT]

I throw it on the ground! Ditto for oyster shell for hens.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I offer Adult size Poultry Grit at 7 weeks in a hanging 40 ounce pail. I also offer Oyster Shells the same way after 16 weeks. GC
ETA; I drill six 3/32 holes in bottom of pail to drain any moisture.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I use parrot cage cups, hung on a scrap piece of welded wire that's nailed to the coop wall.

 

[imnukensc]

4" PVC caps screwed down to the bottom of the run footer.

 

[cbehr]

So you don't offer anything until they are laying eggs? I have 3 hens and a rooster about 10 weeks old.

 

[imnukensc]

They should have grit free choice when they're chicks. Start providing oyster shell free choice when they start laying.

 

[Cryss]

So you don't offer anything until they are laying eggs? I have 3 hens and a rooster about 10 weeks old.

Offer grit at all ages. They will starve without it because they don't have teeth and they don't chew. Food is swallowed whole into their crop. Then it gets passed into the gizzard where the stones aka grit grinds the food up for them. Tiny chicks get chick grit. Once they are older off poultry grit.

It's Oyster shell that you don't want to offer until they are about to lay, approximately 20 weeks depending on breed. They need it to form the shells on the eggs. Chicks can't utilize the calcium so it isn't good for them. Most people feed their hens and pullets the same thing, start and grow or flock raiser usually. They dont feed They offer oyster shell on the side in a dispenser. No need to worry about pullets eating the shell. They might taste it but they won't really eat it.
Important to remember that oyster shell is not a substitute for grit. It is too soft, dissolves and digests to give the needed calcium. Grit takes a long time to wear down as they grind together, but will eventually. Always keep grit available to them.