Can chickens eat too much grit?

[gsim]

Quote:

From E Tennessee

I spread a little on top of their feed every 3rd day or so. I just recently spread 2300# of coarse sand for the walkway between the gate and coop. I suspect they can get what they want from that from now on. I never thought of them overdoing it tho. Am guessing it is something lacking in diet. I would give them raw greens to make up for whatever it is and restrict the grit for now. I give mine three different types of weeds that they love. They are available all winter long in Tennessee and I sometimes pick a bucket full and toss it in to them, maybe once a week. They always dive right onto it.

 

[Dmitry]

wow had the same question but i mixed my grit with their food is that bad?

 

[Chelcrc]

I mixed my grit into the food too. I bought a 50# bag of food and a 5# bag of grit. I miss read the directions and added 1 bag (i.e. 5 pounds), instead of the recommended 1#! Woops.

These Amber Buffs are 7mo. old and came from a farm where they free ranged and ate no feed. I just got them yesterday.

 

[Jersey Boy]

Hello I have 6 chicks (7 weeks old). Yesterday I decided to put sand in my run as I have been hearing from everyone that it is better for cleanup and smell. The sand that I bought is coarse and has those really small pebbles in it. I've noticed that the chicks have been eating quite a bit of the pebbles from the sand. They seem to still be eating the starter/grower crumble feed from the feeder but not as much as they use to. Are all chicks able to regulate how much grit or pebbles they eat or is there a chance they may be mistaking the pebbles for food ? What could happen if they eat too many pebbles ?

 

[Jersey Boy]

 

[Dmitry]

my chickens are now laying and i mix grit with there food not all the time but sometimes and they pick out the food from the grit most of the time so i never had any problem with that and im sure they can control how much they eat

 

[bluegrasslady]

I have never fed grit. My chickens are fine. If they get some time outside on the ground they figure it out. They also rustle up the vast majority of their own food. They all look good and my hens lay well. Sometimes I think people kind of over think the care of chickens. There are many products out there just waiting to separate you from your money it seems.