I've got the grit, now what do I do with it?

[Dragron_ heart]

My dad always fed the chickens oyster shells and he just left them out in a special container and they seemed to know they should eat it. Is that all I need to do with grit?

 

[azygous]

Grit and oyster shell serve two very different purposes. Grit is something that comes from a non-soluble material such as granite or quartzite (sand) and oyster shell is calcium carbonate from either ground sea shells or limestone, and it will slowly dissolve in water which make it possible for a hen to partially digest it to absorb the calcium to make egg shells.

Buy granite chick grit at the feed store and just sprinkle it over the floor of the brooder. The chicks will eat what they need. At first they eat a lot until they get an adequate supply in their crops and gizzards, then they ignore it until they poop it out and need more.

 

[50-45-1]

I offer oyster shell and grit year around.
I almost never see them eating it but every 3 or 4 months i notice the feeder level has gone down and there is room to refilli use the below feeder, and attach to the wall on the inside of my coop so it stays dry. (Best to keep the oyster shell dry)

 

[GC-Raptor]

I begin feeding Chick Grit at 2 weeks of age by mixing into Chick Starter at a ratio of 1 to 40 by weight. 2 ounces of Grit to 5 pounds of feed. 10 ounces Grit to 25 pounds of feed. I use a kitchen scale.
At 7 weeks old I offer Poultry Grit in a separate container.
I use a 40 ounce pail for Poultry Grit and another for Oyster Shells.
I offer a new Flock Oyster Shells after 16 weeks of age.
I drilled 3/32" holes in the bottom to drain moisture. I remove the handle and hang in a corner with an eye screw or with the bottom resting on a cement block held in place with an eye screw. GC .