Chicken straining but laying and pooping?!

[azygous]

Limestone should not be used for grit. It will dissolve in the crop and gizzard, become soft and mushy, and will not grind up food. Limestone is famous for dissolving in acidic water in caverns and forming beautiful stalactites and stalagmites from the calcite solution as it drips from the cavern ceiling. In fact, the cavern itself was dissolved by the same water to form the big space in the limestone geological layer. Limestone was originally formed from living sea creatures and is of the exact same material as the oyster shell we give our layers. So, you may get the idea by now that limestone isn't a very hard rock and makes poor gravel and poor grit. Limestone grit can be used as an alternative to oyster shell for layers, though.

Granite grit is what you want for your chickens' gizzards. It will not dissolve in acidic water or inside a chicken's gizzard and will grind up food splendidly.

 

[debbieharry]

Oops yes I meant for calcium! They gobble the oyster shells but don't really go for the limestone. They free range once a day so I was assuming they would be getting grit for the gizzard from the garden - should I supply it as well? If so, is there a source you recommend as the farm co-op I get my feed at doesn't supply it?

 

[azygous]

You do need to run a test on your soil if you expect your chickens to find grit from their free ranging. No, you don't need a lab, just a strainer and a magnifying lens.

Scoop up some dry soil from the top first couple inches. Sift the smaller stuff through, and then look at the gravel that's left in the strainer with your magnifying lens.

To qualify as adequate grit, it must first be sharp and angular as opposed to rounded. Next it must be the proper size, approximately 3mm to 5mm or a sixteenth of an inch diameter to an eighth of an inch, depending on the size of the chicken. Chicks will select sand size particles and adults will choose particles about the size of very coarse construction sand.

If you buy grit, get granite grit for adult chickens, and if you are supplying baby chicks they sell chick grit that's much smaller.

If your local soil is mostly limestone, it won't qualify. There's a very easy test to see if your local soil has mostly limestone gravel. Get some undiluted white vinegar and pour a drop onto the gravel. If it fizzes, it's limestone. If it acts like plain water and doesn't fizz, it's not limestone and will work okay for grit if it's angular. Clay particles are rounded, so if you have a straight clay soil, it won't work.

 

[debbieharry]

You do need to run a test on your soil if you expect your chickens to find grit from their free ranging. No, you don't need a lab, just a strainer and a magnifying lens.

Scoop up some dry soil from the top first couple inches. Sift the smaller stuff through, and then look at the gravel that's left in the strainer with your magnifying lens.

To qualify as adequate grit, it must first be sharp and angular as opposed to rounded. Next it must be the proper size, approximately 3mm to 5mm or a sixteenth of an inch diameter to an eighth of an inch, depending on the size of the chicken. Chicks will select sand size particles and adults will choose particles about the size of very coarse construction sand.

If you buy grit, get granite grit for adult chickens, and if you are supplying baby chicks they sell chick grit that's much smaller.

If your local soil is mostly limestone, it won't qualify. There's a very easy test to see if your local soil has mostly limestone gravel. Get some undiluted white vinegar and pour a drop onto the gravel. If it fizzes, it's limestone. If it acts like plain water and doesn't fizz, it's not limestone and will work okay for grit if it's angular. Clay particles are rounded, so if you have a straight clay soil, it won't work.

Oh dear, @azygous I’m guessing what is there is not adequate - which is terrible, as I’ve had them for almost a year! I tried to get some when I first had them and the farm co-op didn’t seem to think it was necessary. I’m going to buy grit tomorrow so I can guarantee they have access to some. Thanks again.

 

[debbieharry]

You do need to run a test on your soil if you expect your chickens to find grit from their free ranging. No, you don't need a lab, just a strainer and a magnifying lens.

Scoop up some dry soil from the top first couple inches. Sift the smaller stuff through, and then look at the gravel that's left in the strainer with your magnifying lens.

To qualify as adequate grit, it must first be sharp and angular as opposed to rounded. Next it must be the proper size, approximately 3mm to 5mm or a sixteenth of an inch diameter to an eighth of an inch, depending on the size of the chicken. Chicks will select sand size particles and adults will choose particles about the size of very coarse construction sand.

If you buy grit, get granite grit for adult chickens, and if you are supplying baby chicks they sell chick grit that's much smaller.

If your local soil is mostly limestone, it won't qualify. There's a very easy test to see if your local soil has mostly limestone gravel. Get some undiluted white vinegar and pour a drop onto the gravel. If it fizzes, it's limestone. If it acts like plain water and doesn't fizz, it's not limestone and will work okay for grit if it's angular. Clay particles are rounded, so if you have a straight clay soil, it won't work.

Hi @azygous awesome news! Her vent cleared up a couple of days ago so I stopped giving her the calcium pills - now she seems to be all better and today has laid her first normal egg in a week! Now I know for sure she is the one who lays the larger eggs. I’m so so grateful for your help!! And I bought some chicken grit so they now have that too. Thanks again!