Pullet eating "too much" grit?

[Wynette]

I've got a 16-week old Copper Black Marans pullet that seems to eat lots of grit...much more than anyone else in her pen. She seems to be of good weight, and seems fine, health wise. I was just wondering if anyone else has chickens that seem to eat "too much" grit?

 

[jmc]

Hi!

I recently read somewhere--I believe in a long lost thread on BYC--that a study on this very topic was done at some University(?)/ Poultry Place (?). The question regarded--if I recall--the danger of chicks eating too much grit.

At any rate, they found that chicks that seemed to eat alot of grit actually all in all consumed no more than their little fellows--and that all did fine. Apparently the little ones learn eventually where the real food is/what the real food is, even though at times they may seem not to.

Maybe i can find that again........

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=85023

Rats, this isn't exactly the one. But I really did read that.........

I don't think you need to worry. This I say, however, not from personal experience but from the bit of research I've done. I humbly submit to another's corrections.....

 

[Wynette]

Thanks, John! Yea, you're probably right. If she was eating too much grit & not enough feed, she'd be sick by now, most likely.

 

[dacjohns]

Is she really eating grit or pecking on the ground more than the other birds?

If she is pecking more she might be eating little things like critters and seeds that are hard for us to see.

 

[Wynette]

I have my grit in a separate feeder on the wall so yes, she's eating...or I suppose she could just be moving it around in the feeder (?)