Granite Grit...cheaper option? Crushed rocks?

[ABHanna4d]

Is there any cheaper option instead of the $7 bag of granite grit?
Any type of rock that we could buy by the lb or just crush up ourselves for them??
I want to spoil my girls so I wnat to make sure I spend money only when absolutely necessary.

 

[lotzahenz]

At our local Feed store they have grit for $5 or so for 50 lbs. That is enough to last a very long time. AT the local chain stores such as southern states and Tractor Supply, they sell it for $5 for a 5lb bag and that is very expensive. Look for a feed mill type store, you will save $$. Rocks are fine, but they have to be the kind that do NOT dissolve. Regular limestone gravel will dissolve. You can feed them baked, crushed eggshells for calcium rather than oyster shells, but our feed store has those cheap too. I save the chicken egg shells for the wild birds, making suet out of them after they are crushed finely. The key is to find the place where the farmers really shop, they just run into TSC for boots and candy.............just kidding. A feed mill will have better prices on bigger quantities. FYI, never buy grit or shells online, the shipping is more than the item, unless you get free shipping that is. HenZ

 

[ABHanna4d]

THANK YOU!
Ive been hearing people talk about oyster shells and granite grit and WOW it is expensive. So $5 for 50 lbs is ALOT better than what we were looking at...yes at tractor supply...hahaha

oops I have ALOT of learning to do.
Egg shells! wow. my girls havent started laying yet, can I use egg shells from my store bought eggs? Do I need a bowl or anything for that or do I just throw it in their run? ...hmm same question for the grit, just throw it out there or have a feed dish?

 

[RedStarDaddy]

Quote:
Hi.

I have one of these that I feed my chickens oyster shell from and another one on order for grit. I expect to fill it with grit and the level to go down slowly over six months or so. I half-filled the one I have with grit once, and the birds emptied it. When I filled it after that they had already taken on enough grit to do what needed doing so they didn't eat anywhere near as much. Then I just dumped the grit in the yard and refilled it with oyster shell when I started sticking my thumb through the eggs.

As far as a cheap option, I wonder what a feed sack full of crushed granite would cost at a quarry. I may have to look into that.

RSD

 

[rstampa]

Like lotzahenz said. It's cheap at the local feed store. If you buy it by the lb it's 30 cents but if you buy a 50 lb bag its like 5 or 6 dollars.
Don't buy that stuff at the Supper Market or Pet Store. They are outrageous with their prices.

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

I used to go to the local rock quarry with a 5 gallon bucket and most of the time they laugh about me asking the charge. I'd pay anywhere from nothing to a dollar.

Now where I live I go into the hills around me and just get stuff for them to pick through. If the stuff you give them disoleves they seem to know to eat more. Our gravel driveway goes missing in front of the barn, they seem to pick at it too much there! LOL This set of days off I have to take the tracktor and get some fill for that before winter muck makes a mess of that low spot.

 

[Tiegrsi]

I know this is a super old post, but I'm reviving it to ask...

I have several chunks of marble (not granite) and I was wondering if it would be a good substitute for granite grit if I crush it up, and if it would be good to tumble it after crushing before feeding to take off the sharper edges. I know grit is cheap to buy, but free is better since I'm on a tight budget and I hate to buy something I can get for free instead.

 

[RUNuts]

Marble dissolves. I would guess no. The sharp edges are what help grind the food.

Do a test. Put some vinegar (weak acid) on a spot and watch the marble bubble. Stomach acid is much stronger than vinegar. I'm afraid they won't get much help from the marble.

 

[Titan Farm]

Marble dissolves. I would guess no. The sharp edges are what help grind the food.

Do a test. Put some vinegar (weak acid) on a spot and watch the marble bubble. Stomach acid is much stronger than vinegar. I'm afraid they won't get much help from the marble.

Grit is held in the gizzard where it is used to grind up food, there's no stomach acids in the gizzard. Once the grit is broke down to a minute size it is passed from the gizzard to the digestive track, then passed in the waste.
Now since marble is primarily calcium it will serve as a calcium supplement and a hard to soft grit.