Storing food, giving scratch and is grit necessary?

[festivefeet]

Hi there.

Wondered how to best store chicken food? Will a regular plastic garbage can keep the feed from rain and rodents?

Also, is it okay to give 8 week old chicks scratch? The purpose would be to give it to them to get them to come to me to put them in for the night or to get them back to the run after free ranging.

Is grit necessary for chickens who have access to a run on grass?

Thanks.
Jessica

 

[lalaland]

yes, grit is necessary for chicks that can eat grass

plastic can be easily chewed by rodents, I would stick with metal

scratch is fine for 8 week old chicks, but...they need grit for grains/corn which is the typical scratch mix. If you want to use food as a treat to get the chicks to come to you, it can be anything: cheerios, raisins, grapes, fruits, black oil sunflower seeds, chow mein noodles, bits of bread, noodles, rice, oatmeal dry, oatmeal cooked, .....tomatoes...

 

[pixie74943]

Wheres the best place to get Grit??

Are most foods that have grains going to come with Grit, or am I going to have to buy a bag of grit as well as food??

 

[kingmt]

The grit is nothing more then sand or small stones. If they free range they should find this on there own. Scratch is just a treat you through on the ground & yes give it to them.

I forgot about the trash can. It is better then nothing but you really should have metal.

 

[annek]

If you have a TSC by you they sell grit. I bought chick grit since I was giving it to young chicks.

 

[kingmt]

Quote:
TSC $5=1# but the gravel yard $5=1 ton.