couple of questions

[k8frisby1]

Our girls are now about 10 weeks old, and are doing well. They free range in our yard which is not all grass, and have some wild brush/tree areas and some sandy areas for them to hang out.
My questions are: Do I still need to provide grit? All they seem to do with the chick grit is dump it everywhere...but should I bump them up to the older chicken grit?
And second: I see them dust bathing under their coop in the dirt and also in some other areas in the yard...should I add some DE to these areas to prevent mites? Does the DE need to be food grade, or can I use the stuff I have for the garden (which does not say food grade)?

TIA!!

 

[PD-Riverman]

Do I still need to provide grit? All they seem to do with the chick grit is dump it everywhere...but should I bump them up to the older chicken grit?
And second: I see them dust bathing under their coop in the dirt and also in some other areas in the yard...should I add some DE to these areas to prevent mites? Does the DE need to be food grade, or can I use the stuff I have for the garden (which does not say food grade)?

TIA!!

They get all the grit they need from the soil! I have never bought a bag of "grit"---my chicks not on the ground---in brooders get a sprinkle of sand.

I have been raising chickens most of my life(60+ yrs) and I have never used DE can not help you there.

 

[k8frisby1]

Thanks! I'll look in to the DE some more.

 

[Folly's place]

It won't hurt to provide grit, but soil with little stone will do as grit for them. Don't bother with DE, not worth it. Mary

 

[lazy gardener]

What Mary said.

 

[FlyWheel]

Re: DE (Diatomateous Earth), I sprinkle some on the coop floor before laying down new hay to help keep down insect pests. I also lightly stir a handful into the soil where they dust bathe for the same reason. As far as it helping digestion, I seriously doubt that is helps much. Being basically calcium carbonate it probably gets dissolved before it even reaches their intestinal tract.

As my ten hens are penned into a 400 Ft2 run I do spread some grit out every now and then, as it is a limited area. But I don't have a special bowl for them, as others have stated they will peck up any grit they need while looking for food.