Crops and Grit…11 days old

[Stephie77]

I know this is a mostly repeated question BUUUT…I have one chick whose crop doesn’t ever seem to go down. She’s the biggest one and eats and eats and eats …lots of growing to do! I added a “sandbox” with dirt/grit from their future run a couple days ago. Today I started two meals/day vs all day food to see if my chick’s super crop is empty tomorrow AM. Here are the questions: 1) Is it too early to start AM/PM meals? 2) Is dirt and grit from the run ok at this age? The rest of the chick’s crops are changing sizes throughout the day. Or should I buy chick grit? 3) is my big girl just a big eater and therefore her crop will never be empty/almost empty? 4) What is the latest time in the day I can provide food but still feel a difference in the crop in the morning? Everybody seems healthy and happy. Big girl eats and drinks and runs around so that seems to be a “she’s fine” situation. But I’m big mama bear when it comes to my pets’ health. Thank you for any insight!

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi!

I honestly don't worry about crops until they are adults and having some issues.

Chickens, especially growing chicks, should have their feed available to them during all daylight hours.

It's not recommended to give chicks anything beside their chick crumbles for their first six weeks, but I don't know anyone including myself who sticks to that. We start at about 4 weeks with a little scrambled egg. They don't need grit for that, nor do they for their crumbles. Having grit available in case they eat some of their bedding is okay though, but we use horse bedding pellets and never give grit.

For that particular one, I'd just keep an eye on it.

 

[Ridgerunner]

1) Is it too early to start AM/PM meals?

You can get all kinds or suggestions and recommendations on this forum but the only time I'd consider the feeding restrictions of twice daily would be for Cornish Cross. Why do you want to restrict feeding of your chickens? I feel like I'm missing something.

2) Is dirt and grit from the run ok at this age?

When my broody hens take the chicks out of the coop the first time, most take them to a bare area where they can peck at the ground and get grit in their system. I don't understand why many people on this forum are concerned if their chicks eat grit at a young age. Why do you think there is something wrong with a young chick eating grit?

3) is my big girl just a big eater and therefore her crop will never be empty/almost empty? 4) What is the latest time in the day I can provide food but still feel a difference in the crop in the morning?

Chickens digest food overnight. Even if the crop is full when they go to bed the crop should be empty in the morning. So as long as it is too dark for it to eat, the crop should be empty in the morning when it wakes up. If you are not down there to see it, the chick may eat first thing in the morning so the crop would not be empty by the time you see it.

Everybody seems healthy and happy.

Chickens can get impacted crops. This is where the crop gets blocked and cannot empty itself and send food down to the gizzard. A typical cause is that they eat long strands of grass or string and it gets twisted up in their crop. An impacted crop will stink. If you cannot smell her sour crop she is OK, she does not have an impacted crop.

 

[Stephie77]

Why do you want to restrict feeding of your chickens? I feel like I'm missing something.

I don’t know. It was something I read that made it easier for chickens to go from always available to twice a day. The farm I volunteer at feeds layer food twice a day because of mice, which is what I pictured myself doing. Is that not common? At any rate, I’ll go back to free eating.

Why do you think there is something wrong with a young chick eating grit?

I don’t think it’s wrong at all! I was concerned that it was too early to expose them to outside dirt/grit or if I should use store bought grit.

Thank you for your insight. I did so much research but finding day-by-day questions coming up all the time!

 

[Stephie77]

Chickens, especially growing chicks, should have their feed available to them during all daylight hours.

Thank you! I use a plate so they’ve been sleeping through the night and not noshing!

 

[Ridgerunner]

The farm I volunteer at feeds layer food twice a day because of mice, which is what I pictured myself doing. Is that not common?

We are all faced with different situations so we don't all always do things the same. Some of us have feed out all of the time, even overnight when it is too dark for them to eat. I do, but I'm not down there at the crack of dawn to put fresh food out. Some people take food up at night so mice and rats can't get to it. Some feed at specific hours. To me there is no one way that is right for everyone, just many different ways that work.

I was concerned that it was too early to expose them to outside dirt/grit or if I should use store bought grit.

That is another difference of opinion we sometimes have on here. I want my chicks exposed to the dirt and the environment they will live in very early. My broody hens take care of that if they are raised by a broody. I put dirt from the run in with my brooder raised chicks starting about day 2 or 3. That way they can start working on flock immunities from things they may be exposed to in their environment, get probiotics from the older chickens I have, and get grit into their system. In my opinion that helps get them ready to thrive in their environment. Others for their own reasons don't want to expose their chicks to any of that any sooner than they have to.

I did so much research but finding day-by-day questions coming up all the time!

To me that means you are thinking about what you are doing, which is great! Continue to ask. We may not always agree but hopefully we can help you.