whaty age grit?

[Roxannemc]

Anohter question ..when to stat grit.
Thought i read about 5 weeks
The guy at the farm store said he has had chickens a long time he said no too early for grit . So confused again!

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

You can use sand for chicks, and when they are older use grit, and if they free range they don't need it, because they'll eat some rocks while they range.

 

[Mykee]

We started feeding our hens crushed oyster shells free choice when they were laying age. It provides calcium and grit.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Oyster shell is not grit. It is a calcium source for laying hens.

Grit is sand, pebbles, crushed granite, etc, that a chicken uses to grind food in the digestive tract. Chickens that spend a large amount of time outdoors, ranging typically find enough grit by themselves. In winter, when the ground is snow covered, grit is a good idea.

Chicks fed only prepared chick starter feed don't really need grit, because chick starter is really fine, soft, powder shaped into crumbles.

 

[Mykee]

Do the oyster shells dissolve? Because if they don't dissolve in the crop, they would make grit.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Do the oyster shells dissolve? Because if they don't dissolve in the crop, they would make grit.

Yes, they are much too soft to be grit.

 

[Hoogan]

They don't need grit until you start giving them 'treats' (table scraps, etc). A mother hen lets babies have regular food right when they hatch. But they break it into small pieces with their beaks. So, feel free to give them table scraps etc as young as you like, but make sure to sprinkle some sand on their food (like sugar) so they can digest it properly. If you don't give them table scraps, etc until much later, then you don't havwe to give them grit. Once they're outside they get their own grit from the dirt and you don't have to worry about it. Hope this helps!

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

I use a large planter dish and fill it up with dirt from the favorite dirt bath spot and slip it into the broodies pen. They all get a dust bath and the tiny chicks pick out the tiny rocks they want for grit. Now they can eat whatever mama gives them, no worries.

 

[drpurl]

Thank you for advice! I was wondering the same thing.

 

[kengland]

It really depends on the feed:

"

• Do backyard chickens need grit?

A. Yes!
Grit (small rocks) aids in the grinding of whole grain or other coarse feed in the gizzard. Experiments have shown that grit should be supplied to laying hens, and that it is best to furnish hard grit in addition to limestone grit or oyster shell. In Ohio experiments, supplying layers with hard grit… (and) oyster shell increased the egg production 9.6 percent and reduced the feed requirement per dozen eggs 7.1 percent.”
- Morrison’s Feeds and Feeding, 22nd edition.
Grit keeps the digestive tract moving. Grit also aids in proper grinding of the feed to absorption size for better utilization. And grit also helps digest the more fibrous grasses and other plants, which is the whole reason for our putting chickens on pasture! Low carcass weights are due to some factor keeping the birds from getting all the food and water they need, or not converting what they eat to muscle and bone. If your birds have adequate feeder and water room and enough high-energy, palatable feed, try adding grit. I have seen the addition of grit to a broiler diet contribute as much as 3/4 – 1 lb of additional growth with no other significant changes to the growing environment.
Our Grit is available in several sizes for different species at different stages of growth: Chick grit, Grower/Layer grit, Pigeon grit, and Turkey grit .

“I feel that grit should be started at day 2 or 3 of life and be offered continuously throughout the life cycle. I often hear “They get all the grit they need from the pasture/dirt.” Unless your chickens are grazing a gravel pit (in which case there wouldn’t be much grass growing), you’re unlikely to have enough grit for your birds on the pasture unless you provide it.”​

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http://www.scratchandpeck.com/faqs#Grit​

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