Sand ???

[Jersey Boy]

Hello I have 6 chicks (7 weeks old). Yesterday I decided to put sand in my run as I have been hearing from everyone that it is better for cleanup and smell. The sand that I bought is coarse and has those really small pebbles in it. I've noticed that the chicks have been eating quite a bit of the pebbles from the sand. They seem to still be eating the starter/grower crumble feed from the feeder but not as much as they use to. Are all chicks able to regulate how much grit or pebbles they eat or is there a chance they may be mistaking the pebbles for food ? What could happen if they eat too many pebbles ?

 

[Jersey Boy]

 

[chfite]

The grit and food go right through the system. Mine have not had problems eating to much soil from the run when they are moved outside. I use river sand, which is quite coarse. It is at least as coarse as what is shown in the photograph.

Chris

 

[Jersey Boy]

It seems like because of the increased intake of grit (pebbles) the intake of feed has gone down. Is it normal for their food intake to slow down as they age ? At 5 weeks they seemed like all they did was eat. Now they spend most of their day walking around the run eating pebbles. Im pretty sure they are still eating the grower feed but nowhere near as much as they did.

 

[Shanty]

They won't go hungry if you are feeding them free choice. I give my chicks in the brooders a similar sand mix--one I used for my Leopard geckos, but with added calcium and granite chick grit. That mix keeps the "pasty-butt" syndrome at bay, for the most part, although if they get too much heat (it was 106 here two days ago) THAT exacerbates "PB."

I wouldn't worry.