wet grit

[ChickenMamaC]

Hi there. I have purchased two bags of chick grit now that my girls are having occasional treats.
Both bags are sort of damp inside. They were bought a couple weeks apart.
Is this normal?

 

[lazy gardener]

I would contact the manufacturer. Don't contact the store. see what manufacturer has to say. Then, proceed accordingly.

 

[HuskerHens18]

All the chick grit I've purchased was dry. I would not use it, if it molds I could make your babies sick

But listen to lazy gardener and contact manufacturer, maybe they will refund you or something.

 

[JemimaP]

I bought a bucket of chick grit. It has the consistency of grainy, ever so slightly wet sand. Not quite damp but not bone dry if that makes sense? They seem to like it and not had any problems.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Grit is rocks, only your grit may have been broken into smallish rocks. Because rocks are a natural and normal part of the Earth's crust I would expect rocks to be wet, sometimes wet for millions of years on end without damage.

 

[Mosey2003]

I wouldn't be surprised it's wet. I assume they mine granite the same way we mine limestone; we blast it out, crush it up, sometimes wash it (depending on product), and then it gets stockpiled outside. Super easy for it to still be wet when packaged, I don't know whether they specifically dry it first or not.

If you're worried you could make up a bucket of hot Dawn dish soap water, swish it all around really well (if it appears dirty, bleach won't work on something dirty), then rinse well and plunk it into a bucket of bleach water. That would kill any mold/fungus spores. You could then lay it out to dry or dry it on sheet trays in the oven. Honestly, if it smelled alright, I wouldn't worry about it, myself.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

True grit, even wet will still do its job if it doesn't have fungus or algae in it.
By true grit, I mean an insoluble stone, not soluble oyster shell which some people call by the misnomer oyster shell grit.

However, if it is chick grit, you have another problem.
Chick grit is only helpful for the first 3 weeks. After that it will pass right through the gizzard and not lodge there for any time to be effective. I doubt they will get through 2 bags by the time they reach 4 weeks.
Perhaps you can return a bag and exchange it for larger grit.

 

[ChickenMamaC]

True grit, even wet will still do its job if it doesn't have fungus or algae in it.
By true grit, I mean an insoluble stone, not soluble oyster shell which some people call by the misnomer oyster shell grit.

However, if it is chick grit, you have another problem.
Chick grit is only helpful for the first 3 weeks. After that it will pass right through the gizzard and not lodge there for any time to be effective. I doubt they will get through 2 bags by the time they reach 4 weeks.
Perhaps you can return a bag and exchange it for larger grit.

 

[ChickenMamaC]

Interesting. It says Chick Grit but on the back it also says "suitable for adult birds".

 

[ChickenMamaC]

If I am letting them forage outside, will they get enough grit to help digest any treats I give them? So far, they have tried strawberries, grapes, yogurt, and oats. I am sure when they are outside they are catching the occasional bug, as well. They are 4.5 weeks.