Grit

[someguyhere]

I was wondering about grit for my little ducklings. they are on their 4th week of life or maybe a little older they seem to be getting feathers and advancing a little faster than most the stuff i read. anyways my ducklings spend all their time outside in the run during the day and spent their first night outside last night. I built a really nice very secure outside brooder with a heat lamp for them to lock them up tight at night. it got down to about 45 degrees but was nice and warm inside for them. I was a bit worried but they were up and ready to play as soon as i got up. anyways back to my original question about grit. they eat a lot of everything ! yesterday I was sitting out with them and a grasshopper jumped by and one of the ducks snagged it up up faster than you could blink an eye. I also notice they eat a lot of dirt, well not a lot but they are constantly pecking in the ground for something and im sure they are eating little rocks and bugs all day. do i need to provide grit for these little guys or is all the extra they are randomly picking up through the day enough ?

 

[redsoxs]

Not a duck authority but the way mine are constantly boring holes, I think they get get plenty of grit. I know when I dump out their water pan or pool and put in fresh there is always a fair amount of dirt, grit, gravel, and even grape sized rocks they have deposited when swishing their beaks in the water.

 

[someguyhere]

thats what I was thinking also. thanks for the input its like having kids all over again, you want to do the right thing but you dont want to be over protective either. fun times

 

[chickens really]

I always provide grit in a bowl in the run...Mine do free range also but they do still eat the grit....So i would say that you should provide a bowl of grit and let them choose if they need it or not?

Cheers!