Am I supposed to give them grit?

[pete55]

Thats good to hear. Preparations for the 2013 Breeding Season should begin now to get the best results.

For example access to grit/oystershell to enable uptake of calcium and trace elements for egg profuction, preparing the flock for the bad weather so they winter through in optimal condition, switching to a good quality maintainance diet over winter so they breeding geese respond to a change when their breeding rations are introduced in late Winter.

A great time of the year for jobs in preparation before the bad weather sets in

 

[Going Bhonkers]

Thanks! I wanted to add, I was expecting grit to be ground up more than it is (not exactly sand texture, but something close to it). What I got looks like small rocks. Did I get the right stuff?

 

[mickey328]

Some grinds are finer than others. The grit needs to be big enough to act as molars for them to grind up the food they eat. If it were too fine it wouldn't function properly. The stuff we have is probably about quarter inch. They have free access to it and I think if it's not suitable, they'll pass over one piece to grab another that's more what they need. We have 2 cans affixed to the legs of the coop...they're about 4 inches across and 1.75 inches high (the large sized tuna cans) We keep one full of oyster shell and one full of grit. The girls are really good about knowing what they need, so when the contents get a little low, we just fill 'em up again.

 

[Going Bhonkers]

Thanks for the reassurance, Mickey. I feel much better after seeing that my geese rummaged through the little bowl that I left them last night. I was afraid that they wouldnt touch it. Thanks everyone.

 

[mickey328]

They have great instinct for what they need, and if we but provide it, they'll take it from there