When to give Grit???

[CoopCrazy]

I bought some canary grit from a local petstore today. When should I give the chicks grit and do i need to give it to my hens also? How do you give it to them seperate dish or in feed?

 

[Dar]

I never gave mine grit ..but then again I free range my chickens...when they were in the brooder they did not need it...

 

[Momma_Cluck]

depends entirely on what they eat.. crumbles or pellets they do not need anything with...
grains, mash, fruits and veggies etc... they need grit. Free range do not need it a they pick up sand and tiny stones from the soil as they feed... and most chicks are started on crumbles...

Just sprinkle a tiny bit (like salting food) over their feed.

 

[berkeleysprings]

i gave mine right away or should i say the silkie who raised them showed them right away

 

[CoopCrazy]

Thanks all . Will do. It seems like it wont hurt either way so ill sprinkle a lil in thier crumbles. Since i got it already.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You'll get different opinions on grit. Many people do not give their chicks grit in the brooder as the prepared food can be digested without being ground up in the gizzard. And if they are free-ranging on ground that has sand and small gravel, they will probably get enough there.

My personal philosophy is to offer grit in a separate dish or feeder after day two. I want them to spend the first two days figuring out what their main food is. Granted, the prepared chick feed does not require it, but what if a hard-shelled bug wanders into their brooder or they ingest something that needs to be ground up to pass through their system. Maybe I'll want to give them a treat that should be ground up in the gizzard. I figure you cannot go wrong offering grit but you might go wrong not offering grit.

As I said, my personal philosophy. Many people are successful not offering grit.