When providing grit for guinea keets, do you leave some in a feeder to free feed on it, or just spri

I keep reading about providing grit for guinea keets, but the only grit I could find was chick grit and the bag says not to give it to them until they're 4 weeks old, so we haven't been giving much of it. Our keets are about that age now so I'm wondering how we supply them with the grit. Thanks so much.

That's what I give my keets - but you could also use parakeet grit if you wanted to. My mamas are teaching them to scratch around on the floor of the coop, so I place some of the grit close to their food container, as well as some on the floor.

Thanks, is grit something they have to be provided once they are free ranging?

No......once they are outside foraging, they will be able to find what they need on their own. On the other hand, if they are kept inside the coop for any extended length of time, you may want to provide some for them. Hope this helps!!

Mine are 5 weeks old and I've been mixing some in with their food and have it in a separate container for them to access free-choice.

I use the chick grit also, which is ground up limestone. Layer / grower grit will also have oyster shell in it which is bad for babies because of the extra calcium.

The rocks around my yard are still too big for them to eat, so I want to make sure they have what they need. If you are the same way, it wouldn't hurt to keep some on hand for them too.

I like to err on the side of caution and make sure they have what they need as opposed to them needing it and not being able to find it.

hyelaw said:

Mine are 5 weeks old and I've been mixing some in with their food and have it in a separate container for them to access free-choice.

I use the chick grit also, which is ground up limestone. Layer / grower grit will also have oyster shell in it which is bad for babies because of the extra calcium.

The rocks around my yard are still too big for them to eat, so I want to make sure they have what they need. If you are the same way, it wouldn't hurt to keep some on hand for them too.

I like to err on the side of caution and make sure they have what they need as opposed to them needing it and not being able to find it.

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Grit is not ground up limestone. Limestone is Calcium Carbonate which dissolves very easily and would not work as grit in addition to providing more than the desired amount of Calcium. While layer/grower grit may contain oyster shell, the oyster shell would not work as grit.

Grit is usually ground up granite or some other hard non digestible rock which allows the gizzard to grind the food into digestible particles.

R2elk said:

Grit is not ground up limestone. Limestone is Calcium Carbonate which dissolves very easily and would not work as grit in addition to providing more than the desired amount of Calcium. While layer/grower grit may contain oyster shell, the oyster shell would not work as grit.

Grit is usually ground up granite or some other hard non digestible rock which allows to gizzard to grind the food into digestible particles.

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You are correct, my apologies, it's ground up granite.

Sorry, it's been a long day.