What Age To Offer Pebbles Instead of Grit

[sunnysouth4u]

Hello, I am new to raising chicks...... Mine are about 6 weeks old and I have been sprinkling a little grit over there Chicken Starter food.... When do you begin to offer pebbles for them? I know you must wait before offering oyster shells.... Thank you for any guidence....

 

[CARS]

Pebbles.... New one to me. I just offer grit when they can't be outside during the winter.

subscribing.

 

[LizzyJo]

Pebbles? Maybe if you have dinosaurs instead of regular chickens!

 

[CARS]

sunnysouth4u, I see this is your first post.

Where did you hear this info?

Grit is all they will ever need. In fact, with many store bagged feeds you do not need to add grit supplement. (but check with someone who knows what they are selling before you make that decision. Not everyone who makes $7.00 at TSC knows what they are doing if you get my drift)

 

[bantybev]

Are you talking about "chick grit" and regular grit? They really don't need grit if they are strictly eating chick starter. They only need grit if eating other treats and such. The oyster shell is only for laying hens when they start laying eggs to help their calcium level for harder shelled eggs.
The bag of chick grit I have says to give until 10 weeks, then go to chicken grit, which is crushed granite a little larger in size. If they are free ranging they will pick up what they need as they explore the yard.

 

[sunnysouth4u]

bantybev: People have mentioned that if the chickens are free ranged, they would pickup pebbles in the yard...... My coop is 90% finished and will have an 8x10 run....... I do not know if I will be able to let my chicks out into the yard (I live in the city, but we can have 25 hens) to pickup stones/pebbles - I thougth I might need to offer the small stones like you find in a garden center..... I believe it is chicken grit might be the best option........ I have started sprinkling a little of the starter grit with their food..... I have been giving them some greens and a little wheat bread leftovers......

CARS: Yes, this is my first post....... Thanks to BYC, most of my questions have been answered.....

 

[chauqg]

If you are feeding starter crumble you do not need grit. If you are feeding pellets you do not need grit.

If you are feeding treats of corn or any cracked or whole grain, you need grit. Every couple of weeks, if you make it available the birds will renew the grit/oyster shell in their gizzards as it wears itself down. My 25 laying RIR's consume 4 cups of grit per month. I give them scratch (corn & grain) treats once or twice each week. Too much grain will cause a deficiency in protein, so be careful with the treats... Also not too much starch as in bread. My birds free-range and have access to natural pebbles, stones and what ever they like to help their digestion.

When your birds are mature 18-20 weeks and laying if they have access to pebbles or not I would offer oyster shells to serve as grit and as extra calcium. They will regulate themselves on the grit and on the calcium. As to the grit, they only need to replace the grit in their gizzards every week or two.

They know what the need and when they need it. Make oyster shells available once they are mature.... NOT BEFORE THEY ARE LAYING because the excess calcium could injure the immature chicks.

If you are concerned about the chicks and the grit.... Offer some starter grit which is small instead of full size grit.

G

D Luck!

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Let the birds decide for themselves what they need. Mix your large and small grit in something like a tuna can then set it out where they can get at it. They'll choose for themselves what size they need just as chickens have been doing since the beginning of time.

.....Alan.