Grit, can they get to much of it...?

[kybeagle]

My chicks are going on 6 weeks old and doing very well. I'm just about finished with the coop and will put them in it by the time they are 8 weeks old. My question is, the run they will be using is has a total rock dust bottom to it so I'm thinking they will have all the grit they need. I'm just afraid they may get to much of the grit. I've heard of impacted crops and was wondering if they can eat to much grit, especially when their not use to it?

 

[Shannon's Chix]

Mine live on sand, in the coops, in the run...I've never had a problem...

 

[YolandaT]

My 5 week olds have been on starter feed, they're in their coop now and yesterday I put a small bowl with about a 1/2 cup of sand in it, and its almost gone! I only have 3 pullets. They were grubbing away on it right in front of me. The sand I used is play/garden sand that I put in my cactus's soil, it has various sized grains.

Is this normal? Should I be using something else for grit?

 

[houndit]

I do not think they will eat more of it than they need.

 

[gryeyes]

The "garden" sand with different sized bits in it is perfect, better than "play" sand, which is all one size of sand.

Impacted crops usually occur through LACK of grit, actually. At least that's my understanding.

The excess grit just passes through the chicken.

 

[HudsonValleyGirl]

I buy chick grit. I put it in their feed.

 

[kybeagle]

Quote:
I have tried to find the chick grit around here but so far have only found poulty grit which is alot bigger than the chick grit!

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I usually just give chicks a smaller amount at first, so they don't over eat it. They're still in the learning stage and can over eat grit. If it's fine sand, they pass it, but there's no point in them having a crop full of sand and no food, when they are only a few days old. With my older chicks and adults, I don't worry about it. They've learned to self regulate.

 

[rancher hicks]

My OP about impacted crops is not enough grit. I'd spread some anyhow. They won't eat it unless they need it.

The June issue of Practical Poultry has this to say about Grit.

"Grits are either soluble or insoluble. Meaning soluble theydissolve in acid. Solble grits are calcium based su as limestone, cockle or oyster shell; the insoluble ones are typically flint or granite.
The former are required for bone formation and the fromation of egg shells, while the insoluble ones are employed solely for digestion purposes.

Feeding additional calcium grits to growing stock cn interfere with bone development, so only flint or grantie shiould be given during this period. Grit of the appropriate type should be available to the birds allthe time, the particle size needs to be increased as the birds grow. In theory there is no need for grit to be fed to birds on mash, pellet or crumbed ration, but it's a cheap way of improving feed efficiency and reducing the incidents of gizzard problems.
In a layers ration there shiould be ample calcium without the need for supplementary grit. However, offering a little additionjal oyster shell grit may be worthwhile as it's reputed to iprove the appearance of the an already good looking egg. "

Hope my typing is getting better

Rancher

 

[kybeagle]

Quote:
So Rancher, if I understand your post correctly, the rock dust (dense grade) which I have in my run is going to be harmful to my 7week old chicks. Because I am assuming that this dense grade which I got from the quarry is primarily limestone, which is soluble. Now what am I going to do?