Hi -
My 3 1/2 month old chicks are still eating starter feed. We feed them treats -- mostly leftovers and scraps - fruit, rice, corn on the cob. They free-range in our yard in the late afternoons and weekends. We do not provide them "grit". There is no separate feeder with coarse sand/grit.
I've looked through the board and can't find a definitive answer on this. Do we need to provide them with grit? Can they get what they need from the garden? What signs would they exhibit if they needed grit and didn't have it? They all seem healthy.
Is grit something that is needed for chickens that never get out?
Thanks for any advice.
AVF
My 3 1/2 month old chicks are still eating starter feed. We feed them treats -- mostly leftovers and scraps - fruit, rice, corn on the cob. They free-range in our yard in the late afternoons and weekends. We do not provide them "grit". There is no separate feeder with coarse sand/grit.
I've looked through the board and can't find a definitive answer on this. Do we need to provide them with grit? Can they get what they need from the garden? What signs would they exhibit if they needed grit and didn't have it? They all seem healthy.
Is grit something that is needed for chickens that never get out?
Thanks for any advice.
AVF