[Dizzee]

Hi

My chicks are just over 5 weeks old and I have been giving them sand for their grit, now they are getting bigger I just wondered when we should change them over to big girls grit, we already have some with oyster shell but I'm sure I have read somewhere that you shouldnt give them oyster shell until they are at the POL.

What does everyone else do?

Dizzee

[ANHBUC]

Oyster shell is to help the formation of the egg so it is not needed until they are ready to lay.  Think they could get a build up of calcium which would not be a good thing.  The grit is to help the bird grind the food so if they are on chick crumb they probably don't need it yet.  If they are free ranging and eating other things they may need the grit. 

Sure more experienced members will give you more information on when you should introduce the grit and the oyster shell. 

[hillfooter]

Oyster shell is to help the formation of the egg so it is not needed until they are ready to lay.  Think they could get a build up of calcium which would not be a good thing.  The grit is to help the bird grind the food so if they are on chick crumb they probably don't need it yet.  If they are free ranging and eating other things they may need the grit. 

Sure more experienced members will give you more information on when you should introduce the grit and the oyster shell. 

Hens need to build up reserves of calcium before they lay and anytime from 15 weeks or so they can be given oystershell ad lib to help themselves.  They also need insoluable grit (crushed granite gravel).  Which you can provide access to also ad lib as soon a sthey are outside say from 8 weeks.  If they have access to soil and grass they will usually be able to find their own also so these timings aren't rigid.  Sharp sand is Ok when they are growers.

HF

[Dizzee]

Thanks for the help. I give mine sand at the moment as they do go outside when possible and they have had a couple of little treats as well ;o)

Should I just keep them on the sand until 16 - 18 weeks when they can have the grit with oyster shell in it?

Dizzee

[hillfooter]

Thanks for the help. I give mine sand at the moment as they do go outside when possible and they have had a couple of little treats as well ;o)

Should I just keep them on the sand until 16 - 18 weeks when they can have the grit with oyster shell in it?

Dizzee
[/quote

Yes but I'd switch them at 16 weeks.

HF

[Dizzee]

Thanks Hillfooter 

[Lindeggs]

My pullets are heavy breeds so the timing might be a bit different to yours, but the basic ideas are the same. 

I had my pullets on grower feed (i.e. low calcium) and they were free-ranging in the garden, so they got their own hard grit from eating small stones.  There are advantages to living on a volcanic lava flow.   There were also a lot of old sea shells buried in the garden so whenever they dug one up I would put it on the concrete path and stamp on it to break it into little bits.  The chickens mostly ignored the crushed shells.

My pullets were growing up, but I wasn't sure what age to change them from 'grower feed' to 'layer feed'.  The oldest one was about 30 weeks old, but it was winter so I didn't know when they would start laying.

Then one evening before bed time, the oldest one went to the pile of crushed shells and began swallowing bits. She ate a lot of shell!  At that point I decided to remove their grower feed and replace it with layer feed.  About three weeks later that pullet laid her first egg.

So my advice would be just to leave the oyster shell available from the time your girls are about 12 - 15 weeks old.  Don't mix it with their feed and don't do anything to make it seem like a treat.  Just leave it casually lying around.   When your pullets are getting ready to lay, they will choose their own time to begin eating the shell.