Can I use normal parakeet grit as a grit for my chickens or do I have to use oyster shell? Are there any other options other than Oyster Shell?
The oyster shell is for calcium not for grit. But yes you can use parakeet grit for chicks! It may be too fine for adults. You can use large sand or tiny stones/ Gravel. If i need to use sand or stones from the yard I will first boil them for 10 minutes then let cool on a towel after straining them out of the water. I also use this method to get the stones to add to the waterer for the chicks. A bag of crushed granit from TSC was only like $5 and it last s a long time I just sprinkle on their feed kinda like i would use salt or pepper. I do it about once a week. Now they are out in the run and can eat what ever stones /sand they want and I provide a sprinkle of grit on the ground once a week still. Good Luck and God Bless!
Banti, Oyster shell is not grit, it is a calcium supplement when soft shells might be a problem. Parakeet grit might work for chicks but I think you would need something larger/coarser for other chickens. In the more natural scheme of things grit is basically little rocks that the chickens eat when they are out pecking at things on the ground. It ends up in the gizard where it helps to grind up the food like we do with our teeth.
Be sure to read the label, though. Sometimes "parakeet grit" is calcium fortified and has other stuff in there, too. Don't offer this to your chickens unless they're already laying (chicks don't need calcium supplements). p.s. Parakeets actually don't need grit because they hull their seeds with their beaks, unlike chickens and doves that swallow things whole. Go figure.
