grit???

[ikatiemay]

Hi all,

wow I am on a high this week!! I got my first egg, a nice green one and the next day a brown one. My question is actually how do I feed grit and what is it? I figure when they can free range some each day they handle that themselves but now that we have snow on the ground they dont go out much. What do i buy and how do I feed it?

 

[mulewagon]

I just scrape up a bowlful of dirt with tiny rocks, if the chickens can't go out. It depends on your soil, of course...

 

[mississippifarmboy]

I just feed grit I buy at TSC or the local feed store. Here is the feeder I built for both grit & oyster shell. They don't eat much of it, but they'll get it if they need it.

 

[ikatiemay]

Ya our ground is frozen this time of year! I was thinking about play sand we can buy at the local home depot. do you think that would work or does it have to have different sized particles in it? I havent found grit at the feed store.

 

[Mahonri]

I grew up in Utah...seems there were rocks everywhere.... but yeah, if it's frozen? Hmm... I'd check with the IFA... they have to have calcium that comes as small rocks.

 

[Wendy'sChicksRock]

TSC has it. I just toss it in the run. They will find it. In summer when they are out more I need to add any cuz my local feed store makes my feed and it has it in there already.

 

[PepsNick]

TSC has grit. You can get it at almost any feed store. I offer crushed oyster shells as grit. If they're 100% free range, then they don't need grit, but otherwise feed it. You can also find crushed oyster shells at home depot. Or at least at mine.

 

[woodmort]

I'll toss a handful of it on the coop floor every once in a while during the winter. Gives them something to do to find it. At this rate a 50lb bag lasts a long,long time.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
Don't use Play Sand.

If you go to Lowe's or Home Depot get the All Purpose Sand it should be in the mason department and the bag will state All Purpose Sand on it. All purpose sand has a grater range of "grits" of sand and not as fine.

Lowe's --
http://www.lowes.com/pd_98545-286-1...l=1&currentURL=/pl__0__s?Ntt=all+purpose+sand

Home Depot --
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Chris

 

[ikatiemay]

thanks everyone, that helped me alot. I do feed oyster shells for the eggs didnt know if they needed anything besides that. I think the quickcrete sounds great and cheap!