Sand with Diatomaceous earth

[Stepnout]

Hello. Got my first time chicks now 7-10 weeks. I have them in an. Eglu Cube with a 3 meter run. I have been moving the tractor everyday. I feed them chick grower, the same as where they came from. They have a constant feed supply. They are very healthy growing super fast. I see the difference everyday. Yesterday I purchased general purpose sand and mixed in some Diatomaceous
And put it in a plastic tray thinking they would dust bath and pick up some grit. They have been digging down through the grass each day and eating dirt.
As soon as I put the tray in they just attack the sand eating it. All day they ate feed, grasses and sand. They seem perfectly healthy good solid poop, happy etc. Question how much sand is normal?
Thanks in advance.
Stepnout

 

[chickengirl778]

Yes! They are using the sand as grit to digest the plants!

 

[Stepnout]

Thanks, I have no experience, just seemed like they were eating allot.

 

[snow5164]

Get them some chick grit .. pet stores have them for budgies make sure there’s no calcium. Grit and sand aren’t the same thing.great they can dig in dirt I just have my 3 day olds a dish of dirt, you’d think I gave them the best meal they EVER had !! Have fun it sounds like you’re doing great

 

[Stepnout]

Get them some chick grit .. pet stores have them for budgies make sure there’s no calcium. Grit and sand aren’t the same thing.great they can dig in dirt I just have my 3 day olds a dish of dirt, you’d think I gave them the best meal they EVER had !! Have fun it sounds like you’re doing great

I’m 61 years old lol. I remember when I was about 12 we had a pet Budgie he or she was a great joy to have around. A smart little thing. I remember we always had a box of grit for that little creature. We also used to buy some sort of shell about 2 inch wide and 4 inch tall. It had a little aluminum bracket to bend around the rungs of the cage. The budgie ate that stuff like crazy, must have been calcium or something.

 

[Stepnout]

I also have 125 ponds of this I have been throwing it in the grass inside the chicken tractor. I always fed it to my pigeons and quail. They ate it up too.