Too much grit??

[FallFlightFarm]

Sorry, another newbie question... I have 4 chickens (including a roo) that are all just approaching laying age (roo is same age minus the laying

) The are just finishing the bag of chick starter and will transition to laying ration in the next week (just got my first eggs this week!

) I also throw out maybe 1 1/2 cups of Purina's Scratch Grains for them to hunt for each day.

Now, they have a run of about 5' x 15' and so they scratch around all day, and I have been offering free choice grit, but it seems like they eat a LOT of it!! Can they eat too much? The dish had been empty for 3-4 days (I know, my bad

) I had actually filled it, but forgot to put it back in the coop....

So last night, I put it in the coop when I locked them up for the night, and this morning it was EMPTY. Not spilled, either. There had to be at least a cup's worth, if not more in it! Should I refill it today and assume they are "caught up"?? Your thoughts??

Thanks!!

 

[Judy]

The crop holds a fair amount of grit, which I'm sure you know they need to grind other foods. I was surprised how much grit was in there when I cut into one during processing.

Let's hope they were just in need, and are catching up. They do pass some, so need to replace it, too.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

My chickens eat out of the grit bowl a lot! I have seen tiny chicks (days old) overdoing it on grit but not older chicks. So I sprinkled it on like salt when they were tiny (my hatchery's instructions).