Unsure

Date sort Score sort
MaBell2001

MaBell2001

In the Brooder
Mar 26, 2016
35
1
36
Indiana
Hi, there! We decided to use sand for litter in our coop and run. Eventually, the girls will free range, too. I have noticed in the last week that they are not eating as much. Wonder if they are not growing as rapidly now, and food intake needs are going down, or if they are taking in too much sand as grit?
I moved them to a grower feed last week. Not sure how old now, but got them easter weekend at 1 to 2 weeks old.
Thanks
 
I have sand in my coops, it helps to keep the floor dry. I remove the sand mixed with poop in the spring and spread it in the garden. For me is cheaper to buy a load of sand (bed of my pick up truck) that buying bags of sand. I really like the sand in the turkey pens, they are more messy than chickens.
 
Exactly. I like tge cleaning and ease of it. What I am questioning is if the young birds are ingesting to much grit
 
They usually will not overeat grit - sand in your case.
Have you been providing treats, scraps etc. for the birds as well?
I've found that food intake can vary from day to day (and week to week) depending on weather, what treats/foods I give, etc.
It sounds like they are a little over a month old so food consumption slows slightly as they get older. You switched feeds also, so sometimes it can take them a while to get used to that.
 
MaBell2001 said:
Hi, there! We decided to use sand for litter in our coop and run. Eventually, the girls will free range, too. I have noticed in the last week that they are not eating as much. Wonder if they are not growing as rapidly now, and food intake needs are going down, or if they are taking in too much sand as grit?
I moved them to a grower feed last week. Not sure how old now, but got them easter weekend at 1 to 2 weeks old.
Thanks
Click to expand...



True, they might have slowed in growth a bit, but they are certainly still growing. The common denominator seems to be they stopped eating as much when you changed their feed. Is the grower you switched to the same brand as the starter you were using? If not, it might take them a little time to adjust to the new feed. Did you also change the type of feeder or the placement of it since switching feeds? If so, they may not be wasting as much feed.
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

PanosGR
Should I be worried?
3 4 5
Replies
40
Views
3K
littlecoopnextdoor
L
tsgarvey
Feed change?
2
Replies
13
Views
1K
My Very First 6 Chickens
My Very First 6 Chickens
KlinoClucks
    • Like
Anyone have any good tips and tricks that are Cheap and easy to boost protein and nutrition for chickens?
2 3
Replies
26
Views
4K
Dragonlady1956
Dragonlady1956
C
Feeding with fermented corn
2 3
Replies
20
Views
1K
Penpal
P
LER23
    • Like
All flock crumble good for all ages?
Replies
3
Views
874
nuthatched
nuthatched

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom