Quote:
1) When to start the grit? Or will they need since they will have outdoor access? And if I do, can I put a pan of it in their coop?
I have a dish of free choice granite grit always available to them as well as oyster shells.
I have a dish of free choice granite grit always available to them as well as oyster shells.
2) DE, is it the same as oyster shells, as I know it says it is shell? I plan to put it in the nesting boxes, outdoor on the ground and maybe on the coop floor too. Do I mix in with their feed or a seperate pan?
No. Again I have a dish of oyster shells set by their feeder so they always have access to it whenever they want it. I sprinkle Food Grade DE around in the coop, the poop pit under the roosts, where they like to dust bathe. I have no pest and stink problems.
No. Again I have a dish of oyster shells set by their feeder so they always have access to it whenever they want it. I sprinkle Food Grade DE around in the coop, the poop pit under the roosts, where they like to dust bathe. I have no pest and stink problems.
3) Diet, I'd like to think I can free range them outside of their pen, but have safety concerns. I'd like to avoid pellets and use what I have on the farm-corn, grasses, alfalfa, left over food-vegis, fruits, breads, etc. Advice here. Do I need to supplement and keep pellets on hand and available?
I always have a feeder with pellets available to them. My birds free range, but do eat the pellets but not as much.
I always have a feeder with pellets available to them. My birds free range, but do eat the pellets but not as much.
Thanks everyone!!!
A chicken's food goes, as is, into the crop, where it is slowly funneled into a very small " stomach" for some digestive additives--then to the Gizzard, where it is 'chewed', that is, ground into material that can be digested as it moves into the intestines and so on. The Gizzard is best able to break down whole grains and other chunky bits that they eat when full of grit. Longest lasting grit is Granite, that lasts well. All other rock and stone is so much softer, that it wears down fast and that is why granite grit is best choice, works really well for best utilization of feeds. My baby chicks are given free choice and they choose it with pleasure, baby grit is fine Granite, as soon as they are given anything besides Starter Crumbles. Their tiny gizzards are at optimum function at an early age. I feed my birds Starter/Grower feed until they start to lay then I switch over to layer feed. If I have any Starter/Grower feed left over I mix it in with the layer feed. I give mine almost everything. Here is the link to BYC Chicken Treat Chart. https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-Treats_Chart
A chicken's food goes, as is, into the crop, where it is slowly funneled into a very small " stomach" for some digestive additives--then to the Gizzard, where it is 'chewed', that is, ground into material that can be digested as it moves into the intestines and so on. The Gizzard is best able to break down whole grains and other chunky bits that they eat when full of grit. Longest lasting grit is Granite, that lasts well. All other rock and stone is so much softer, that it wears down fast and that is why granite grit is best choice, works really well for best utilization of feeds. My baby chicks are given free choice and they choose it with pleasure, baby grit is fine Granite, as soon as they are given anything besides Starter Crumbles. Their tiny gizzards are at optimum function at an early age. I feed my birds Starter/Grower feed until they start to lay then I switch over to layer feed. If I have any Starter/Grower feed left over I mix it in with the layer feed. I give mine almost everything. Here is the link to BYC Chicken Treat Chart. https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-Treats_Chart
Last edited:
