[Anndee]

Hello.
I'm a bit confused as to how much grit chickens should be given.
should I mix it in with their feed, or do I put it in a seperate dish OR do they just pick up what the require pecking around on the concrete paths that mine have access to 
Its really confusing me as i don't want to get any crop problems that I keep reading about on here.
Mine aren't at POL yet they are still young 6 weeks, 12 weeks and 16 weeks old.
when they get laying then do I need to give them oyster shell and can I give them crushed up egg shells that we have used??
Thank you all in anticipation 

[New shoot]

If you are feeding them just growers pellets that's a complete feed Anndee which they can digest without extra grit.  Similarly layers pellets have all the calcium POL and older hens need and shouldn't cause crop problems. 

You can get mixed grit with oystershell and mine have this in a separate feeder.  This keeps it clean and then it lasts for ages.

Mine are all adult birds and get layers, some mixed corn, greens and some free-ranging, which usually involves them eating a fair bit of grass which can cause crop problems if it is too long or they don't have enough grit in their crops.  Feeding lots of bread or similar things are another potential crop bunger upper 

[Dominic]

I have oyster shell and grit available seperatly from the food.

[Lindeggs]

There is often confusion when the word "grit" is used, as there are two types:

Hard grit (insoluble grit) is the small stones the chickens swallow.  They use it to grind up their food in their gizzard.  If they have access to outside areas with soil, they should find all the small stones they need in the soil. 

Shell grit (soluble grit) is usually broken oyster shell (although any sea shells or egg shells will do).  The chickens grind this up and extract the calcium carbonate, which they use to build new egg-shells.

In both cases (hard grit and shell grit) a balanced feed will have everything they need.  But if you choose to provide extra grit (of either type) you can just put it in a small container in their run and they can choose to eat as much as they need.

I am having an interesting experience at the moment where I am trying a new brand of feed.  According to the manufactuirer, it is perfectly balanced and contains everything needed by a laying hen.  But my chickens are currently eating huge quantities of the crushed sea shells that I have left lying around for them.  They have never done this when eating any of the other brands of feed I have used.  So I don't believe the feed I'm using now has enough calcium and I won't be buying it again.

In this case I'm very glad I provided supplementary shell grit and let the chickens choose their own dosage.  It won't do any harm to have it available, and in cases like mine it proves very important.

[Sassy]

If you decide to use crushed egg shell - and there is no reason why you shouldn't - you do need to bake it first. Not sure if this is to sterilise and/or to change the way it smells so as not to encourage egg eating.

[joyfull]

Baking them is to steralise them
Crushing the shells stops them seeing the shell as eggs and makes it easier for them to pick up and eat, but mine also get any egg shells from any weak shelled eggs that break when I am collecting them - they wolf down the shell and the contents and I have never had a problem with hens pecking eggs.

[Anndee]

Thank you so much for all your replies. That has solved another problem for me on here.
 You really  are wonderful lot 
I don't know how I would get on without you all. Bless you all
I shall start to save some egg shells to bake then I can just give them a bit and if they want to eat them its up to them.
Anne

[Lewjam]

Yea i think they know the difference...

Ive seen one of my hens drop a soft egg in the middle of the run and all three of them instantly grab it and eat it.  Where as when the same hen dropped a proper egg in the run, they had a quick look then left it alone - didnt even try and peck it!

Baking them is to steralise them
Crushing the shells stops them seeing the shell as eggs and makes it easier for them to pick up and eat, but mine also get any egg shells from any weak shelled eggs that break when I am collecting them - they wolf down the shell and the contents and I have never had a problem with hens pecking eggs.

[kensington chicks]

Hi all,

Found this thread really interesting as I was confused about the different types also, so thanks Lindeggs.

How long do they need 'baking' for and what temp?  ( I like everything spelled out for me so I don't panic )

My girls have also eaten soft shelled eggs but never looked at the proper ones

Thanks all   KC x