Gritt and Pasty Butt

[wayne hulgan]

We are not experts with this chicky thing, but we have raised 4 batches of little ones with only one case of pasty butt. We found that giving them grit from day one seems to help. our only case was before the chicks got grit. We listened to some advice and didn't give the first group grit for 2 weeks, that's the pasty butt group. From then on we supplied them with grit from day one. I get sand from the creek alongside our property, yesterday I gave them dirt from the garden, they loved it. We have not had a case of pasty butt since. We just started tring to think like a momma chick. She would have them out scratchinng, eating dirt, bugs and what ever. If you have pasty butt going through your flock what can it hurt? grit is a very important part of their food why not give it to them.