Not eating their grit

[getreal]

I have a rooster in a cage right now, was infested with mites. He's eating great now, he's very, very thin. I'm giving him regular pellets. chick starter, scratch, sunflower seeds. Anything I can think of to put some weight on him. I've been giving him extras, broccoli, pumpkin puree, a few raisins, apple. He hasn't touched the grit. his poop was dry and regular when he first come in the house, but now he has diarrhea. Which I figure is normal from all the extra foods. Another thing I noticed his crop never gets big. Is this normal because he was so thin? Is this normal to never eat grit? Even when he doesn't have access to pebbles?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Is this normal to never eat grit? Even when he doesn't have access to pebbles?

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.

 

[Happy hen lover]

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.

I have found my girls like oyster shell and grit better off the ground than out of dispenser. Just fyi

 

[MamaPoult]

Yeah mine dont hardly eat any grit at all. My turkeys are my mosquito control