ChknMama50
Songster
I am NOoo expert but do know that a balanced formulated commercial food should provide them with all they need nutritionally- plus giving them access to calcium source (like oyster shells) to peck from as needed- I’ve read they will take what they need… though I have a few who I never see doing so who need it but I digress
) as well as grit… I throw it out in the run often and am in the process of switching over to natural “River sand” (vs play sand which is ground up granite etc and I think issues with silica etc)… point being even if they didn’t get out to forage in the yard, the sand has multiple sizes of pebbles they get when picking at this and that… but dealing with crop issue has made me plenty paranoid- even though they’ve always had it, I’m not risking it
I think it’s a human compulsion to think we are showing live by giving them “treats” but often it simply causes more harm than good! I’ve never given much scrap food as they would get messy poos from even a little lettuce/Or other greens…I tend to use something like BSFL (black soldier fly larvae- looks a lot like meal worms and they love it even more but it’s got like a LOT more calcium than those and is a good source of protein… though many in forums like this will say “those mealworms are high in fat and can lead to fatty liver disease”… ?! I say everything in moderation following suggested amounts and subscribe to quality of what treats I do give for their health even though they think it’s crack!
**Did want to also mention- be careful bringing in grasses from the yard- don’t give them long fibrous ones as they CAN get a crop impaction- have read done nightmares!! We keep our pasture cut pretty short and have managed to reduce the long weeds like that by putting down clover seed etc….
Trust me, I get it… used to offer little bits of grass blades and the little flower tops they liked thru the wire when they couldn’t come out! It’s hard as they then want to stay till bedtime and we’ve got a lot of hawks and even eagles in the area so we like to be out there hoping it’ll at least discourage an attack
not sure they care but…Again though if they’re healthy and laying like that you’ve been doing a good job!!
Enjoy their health…. It seems it can go so quickly!!
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