grit ?

[lacyloo]

i was just wondering ,whats grit.
i have heard people talking about it but just cant figure out what it is !

 

[Judymae]

Grit is very fine gravel. I buy the bird grit 'n gravel at walmart because my babies are still very young and don't need alot-just when I give them treats. On the back of the box it lists the ingredients as:gravel, calcium carbonate, sorbolite clay.

It helps your girls digest their food. Birds of all sorts need it to grind up their food while being digested. Birds that free range will eat small rocks or pepples.

 

[N. Virginia]

My birds (11 weeks old) go out during the day in the yard...lots of dirt & gravel & bugs & grass...do they need grit also, or will they get enough just pecking around?
Tx,
N. VA

 

[Yay Chicks!]

My 4 birds are exclusively in their run, so I give them grit daily. I buy a #2 grit in a 50 lb bag at the feed store and it's pretty cheap and lasts my little flock a long time. Think of grit as your bird's teeth.

 

[gritsar]

N. Virginia :

My birds (11 weeks old) go out during the day in the yard...lots of dirt & gravel & bugs & grass...do they need grit also, or will they get enough just pecking around?
Tx,
N. VA

I'm sure they are finding plenty of grit on their own. Since both of my flocks have been outside during the day from the time they are about two weeks old (and that's about the time I start giving them treats) I don't offer grit.​

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Oh, I just saw on your page that you've had chickens for a couple of years now. They must be finding their own.

 

[Cebarmlds]

So if the ground is frozen or covered with snow I need to give them grit?

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Wouldn't be a bad idea. Grit is cheap and necessary for proper digestion, so better safe than sorry.

 

[Cebarmlds]

I was kindof thinking the oyster shell would be like grit- doesn't work that way?

 

[Ridgerunner]

No. Oyster shell is too soft to grind some things. Also your birds have acid in their digestive tract. The acid will disolve the oyster shell so it does not last long enough to do any good.