Food restrictions for Cornish cross

[Nugget_123]

This has been super helpful! All of my Cornish x are still alive and super healthy! They went outside for the first time today and loved it. However, they ate some bugs and grass and such. Do I need to provide grit for them? They don’t really forage, so I don’t think they will get any rocks from outside. Will they mistake the grit for food if I put it in a feeder for them and try and eat it all?

 

[FunClucks]

This has been super helpful! All of my Cornish x are still alive and super healthy! They went outside for the first time today and loved it. However, they ate some bugs and grass and such. Do I need to provide grit for them? They don’t really forage, so I don’t think they will get any rocks from outside. Will they mistake the grit for food if I put it in a feeder for them and try and eat it all?

Oh, yes, all chickens need grit. There is chick size grit and adult size grit. Any time they eat anything other than formulated chicken feed pellets, they need a source of grit. They will probably eat a fair amount of it the first time you put it out - this is normal, they need the correct amount in their gizzards, and right now they have none so they have to load up. They will only eat what they need, so let them have free choice throughout their lives.