Not eating their grit

[DaveMK]

We’ve had our first 2 chickens since November. They’re doing extremely well, and both lay every day since winter solstice.
However, they don’t seem to be eating the grit that I leave out for them. It’s proper shop bought hen grit. Is this a problem?

Also, when inspecting the coop and run lid yesterday, I spotted quite a few large mosquitos and smaller flies. Is this a problem?

The hens have access to a dust bath with DE to prevent mites.

Thanks

 

[theoldchick]

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.

 

[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.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

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.

 

[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.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

If birds have access to the ground they typically don't need grit. Small stones are in the ground and they just use those. Stones are not passed through very fast so they really don't need many of them to aid in grinding up scraps or what they forage for feed. Chicken feed itself doesn't even require grit to be digested by the bird. Grit is one of those over rated "necessities". Stones are in the ground and chickens like to scratch for them and make dust baths. Grit is for the non chicken feed they eat.

DE or wood ash deter mites and lice. If your birds ever get infested neither will cure them. I inspect my birds maybe once per year. Every two or three years it seems I have to spray them and coop with permethrin. I use wood ash in an old metal wash basin for them to bath in during winter. They prefer the holes they've made under shrubs in the summer.

 

[DaveMK]

If birds have access to the ground they typically don't need grit. Small stones are in the ground and they just use those. Stones are not passed through very fast so they really don't need many of them to aid in grinding up scraps or what they forage for feed. Chicken feed itself doesn't even require grit to be digested by the bird. Grit is one of those over rated "necessities". Stones are in the ground and chickens like to scratch for them and make dust baths. Grit is for the non chicken feed they eat.

DE or wood ash deter mites and lice. If your birds ever get infested neither will cure them. I inspect my birds maybe once per year. Every two or three years it seems I have to spray them and coop with permethrin. I use wood ash in an old metal wash basin for them to bath in during winter. They prefer the holes they've made under shrubs in the summer.

Thanks. My 2 hens don’t get much other than chicken feed. I throw weeds in when I have them, but hats about it.
Il give them an inspection for lice and mites. Thanks.

 

[aart]

Digestive granite grit or oyster shell grit for calcium?

Also, when inspecting the coop and run lid yesterday, I spotted quite a few large mosquitos and smaller flies. Is this a problem?

I normally use nipple waterers, but added water containers due to the nipples being frozen due to weather.

Maybe I misunderstand...but,
how can you have frozen nipples(which kind?) and mosquitoes at the same time?

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[Tonyroo]

What do you feed them?

 

[rosemarythyme]

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.