When to introduce oyster shell to chicks?

[AnnieFoothills]

I have 17 mixed sex chicks that are now 6 days old. I am feeding them chick starter from UFA. Do I need to add oyster shell to the brooder? And if so, the shell I have seems fairly large chonks. Should I grind it up a bit?
many thanks
Annie in Alberta, Canada.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

Oyster shell is a calcium supplement, it's not necessary to introduce it until your chicks become pullets who are laying eggs. I've never heard it recommended at all for chicks.

 

[AnnieFoothills]

I was thinking it as a gritty supplement. I have not seen chick grit for sale locally. So I am wondeirng what to do, or is it necessary to give grit to chicks at all?

 

[Ruby Rogue]

Sometimes my local co-op has small bags of chick grit in stock, they might have it off the shelf if you ask, but, if you are *only* feeding chick starter feed, they don't need grit at all.

I have a bag of chick grit, never used it, I only feed starter feed.

 

[HawaiiCoyote]

I was thinking it as a gritty supplement. I have not seen chick grit for sale locally. So I am wondeirng what to do, or is it necessary to give grit to chicks at all?

If you can get the chicks outsides few times a day, they will pick up grit from the local soil. My chicks prefer to get their grit outside, and they ignore the store-bought grit I offer them.

 

[CoopsNPoops]

I was thinking it as a gritty supplement. I have not seen chick grit for sale locally. So I am wondeirng what to do, or is it necessary to give grit to chicks at all?

Oyster shell is a calcium suppliment and not needed until laying age and even not needed with good feed with calcium alreadybin it. Grit is not needed until the chicks start eating other things than chick starter. Other things meaning treats, bugs, etc. And even then grit is only needed if the chickens don't have access to plenty of ground forage where they consume natural grit in dirt, gravel, etc.

 

[Sycamore Hill Chicks]

I have 17 mixed sex chicks that are now 6 days old. I am feeding them chick starter from UFA. Do I need to add oyster shell to the brooder? And if so, the shell I have seems fairly large chonks. Should I grind it up a bit?
many thanks
Annie in Alberta, Canada.

When they are ready to lay or around 20 weeks

 

[AnnieFoothills]

Thankyou to everyone for their replies.
Chicks are well, so far so good.

 

[Aapomp831]

Chicks don’t need grit until they start foraging / getting treats or food other than their regular feed.

 

[Batacaza]

I am also in Alberta and have been having trouble finding anything labeled as chick grit anywhere. My chicks are 3 weeks old and ate their bedding at first and I also wanted to give some treats so I went to a pet store and found fine grit for pet birds. They love it and have done great with it