Not eating their grit

[DaveMK]

What do you feed them?

Layers pellets, but not the type with grit included.

 

[DaveMK]

They really don't take in a lot of grit most of the time. You can try sprinkling some on the ground, some birds prefer picking it up that way as they scratch around.

I’ll try that. Thanks.

 

[Sussex19]

Chickens need two kinds of grit; granite grit which helps them digest there food (what we use our teeth for) and calcium grit which is often made from oyster shells, but can also be limestone, for egg laying.
Which kind have you got?

 

[Sussex19]

I have granite grit and throw crushed eggshells for calcium.

I didn't think of eggshells, but I believe they are good for calcium too.
My chickens have never wanted to eat their granite grit that I gave them, but when I have butchered them they always have a good about of grit in them.
I think they are just getting the naturally occurring stuff from the ground. I wouldn't worry too much, as long as it is there, I think they will get it if they need it.
If they didn't eat calcium grit, and didn't get any from other sources (like the eggshells and many feeds) that would be more of a concern.

 

[getreal]

How long as he been in the cage? Chickens only need grit on occasion (to replace any that are worn down), it's not an every day or even every week sort of thing.

About a week

 

[rosemarythyme]

About a week

If he already has adequate grit in his system he probably won't need any for a while.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I can hardly tell that my girls (about 20 of them) are eating grit or oyster shell at all, but I know they do because after about 6 or 8 months I do have to replenish their supply. They just don't need much so you don't notice the amount in the dish going down from day to day. I wouldn't worry about it. If it's available, they'll take what they need.

 

[DaveMK]

Mine don't eat much grit either. I try to control mosquitos by keeping the water containers clean and using spray around the coop and barn. You can also use fly traps to help keep the fly population in control I also clean remove the poop from the ground and keep the poop boards clean.

Mine don't eat much grit either. I try to control mosquitos by keeping the water containers clean and using spray around the coop and barn. You can also use fly traps to help keep the fly population in control I also clean remove the poop from the ground and keep the poop boards clean.

Thanks for your reply.
The water container makes sense as to why there are mosquitos there recently.
I normally use nipple waterers, but added water containers due to the nipples being frozen due to weather.

I’ll reconsider the grit, as the size of their current grit feeder is disproportionate compared to how much they digest.

 

[DaveMK]

Does your run have as solid bottom like a concrete pad or is it on the ground where they can scratch around in the dirt? If chickens have access to the ground where they can scratch around in the dirt they will find small pebbles to use as grit and ignore a bowl of grit. The only time I buy grit is when I have chicks.

Thank you. My run is 6-10 inches of wood chip,
I don’t think they can access the ground beneath it, but if they could, it would be clay/soil. I’ve only ever seen them peck at the grit once when I first got them. Since then, the level of grit hasn’t gone down at all.

 

[Tonyroo]

What do you feed them?