To Grit or when Not to Grit.. that's the Question !!!

[kstaven]

Coop and nest box bedding is what people use pine shavings for.

 

[Frozen Feathers]

Quote:
I shut my chickens in for a day about once a week. They "forget" where they are allowed to go and where they are not. They tend to stay on my property pretty well, but sometimes they wander off into my neighbors yard, and I think my neighbors dog wants to eat them, so that's not good. But shutting them in for the day they stay around a lot better for the next 5 or 6 days.

IMO they can sometimes get too "wild" being allowed to free-range everyday. Sometimes they'll start roosting in trees. Last winter my Jap roo decided to roost 20 ft up in a tree and froze off his comb, so now my SQ Jap isn't SQ anymore. GRRRR!

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

I believe in supplying grit at any age. (If they are on the ground, they will find it naturally, but I always put some playground sand in a pile for them anyway)

It is cheap & won't harm them if they don't need it.
It's better to have it for them, than them need it & not have it.
In my opinion, Commercial feed needs grit unless it has it included. The label will say "no grit needed" if it is included in the feed.
They still need to grind the commercial feed up in their crops, if they don't have the grit, the crop can become impacted.

You didn't say how old your chickens are, if they are not of laying age, don't give them oyster shells yet.

Oyster shells can't be substituted for grit. Grit is for grinding up they food, oyster shells dissolve in their crop & is for calcium to produce a good egg shell.


Jean

 

[verthandi]

I clicker trained my chickens to come back to the pen at noon time. I have to leave for work just before 1pm. Well it is sort of clicker training.

I bought one of the dog clickers at PetCo (99 cents) I click it in the the coop and toss down scratch, it didn't take more than a couple of days for the chickens to figure out the game. Now I can either use the clicker or just make a click sound and they come running. Good thing too...as I looked rediculous chicken herding in my work clothes everyday.

 

[ozark hen]

What a cool idea! Clicker training for chickens?!

Next thing you know you could have them in agility competitions..

Now I give you the prize for a first class idea! ingenius idea

Makes me want to run out and purchase a clicker now for sure.

 

[dlhunicorn]

Quote:
The only time your chickens need for grit would be diminished is when you would have a cage system and they had access to only the layer pellets...
Oyster shell does NOT replace grit...git is necessary for the proper function of the gizzard and all free ranging birds need grit. (That having been said they will often find a natural source through poking around in the ground too). I always offer mine a separate source of grit (just in case)