What to do if chicks/ducklings have been fed veggies for several weeks without access to grit?

[BigBlueHen53]

Unfortunately my inlaws do know that they need grit, they've simply decided they don't care because I deal with the birds anyway

Humph. Get away from those crazy people ASAP. Quick, before you have kids! (Jk. Kinda.)

 

[NatJ]

You can give them a handful of dirt from your garden and some finely crushed egg shells. That should hold them til morning.

I would skip the eggshells. They are not hard enough to be useful as grit (will not grind up the veggies.)

Just provide grit when that becomes possible.

 

[Mirrium]

Humph. Get away from those crazy people ASAP. Quick, before you have kids! (Jk. Kinda.)

Trust me that was the plan, no buns in this oven till we have our own STABLE home haha

 

[Mirrium]

I would skip the eggshells. They are not hard enough to be useful as grit (will not grind up the veggies.)

Just provide grit when that becomes possible.

Thank you!

 

[Mirrium]

So there's an update and it's a big one.
Since the incident we managed to obtain a small amount of chick grit to deal with that issue (there's also a full bag coming on friday).
However, inlaws are now complaining that I'm in the wrong and overexagerrating because their chick crumbles and duckling pellets (from purina) have grit in them. I've tried several times to show them that they in fact do not but every attempt is either met with being ignored or told that no one likes a "know it all".
On top of this they've decided that their 1 week old ducklings with exactly 0 feathers are perfectly fine to be outside permanently with an extra large kiddie pool to play with. And that's not even going into how they deliberately overfilled the brooders despite several warnings telling them they can't get more birds without letting me build another setup!

 

[coach723]

Sorry, I haven't been getting notifications for some reason on this thread. Hope your babies are doing OK.
So sorry about all the drama and non-help you are dealing with.
I've dealt with more than my share of people who want to argue with me about how I do things, despite the fact that they have no idea what they are talking about and they are NOT the one that has to deal with the repercussions. I left my birds ONCE for my sons wedding, 10 years ago. I left very specific and detailed instructions to the person who was caring for them. I came home to sick, and one dead bird, which based on organs and condition, I think died of dehydration. All but one waterer was empty. Feeders were nearly empty and filthy. I live in Florida, it was summer. I've never left my birds for more than 24 hours since. This was a person who'd had chickens previously, and whom was given plenty of reasons why things needed to be the way I asked. So. I'm sure it's far more difficult with "family", but it's everywhere. I get snarky comments from some of my family too. Fact is, it's just not a priority for them the same way it is for me. So be it.
Anyway. I hope you are able to get some kind of peace and cooperation, or are able to find somewhere else to keep them.

 

[Mirrium]

Sorry, I haven't been getting notifications for some reason on this thread. Hope your babies are doing OK.
So sorry about all the drama and non-help you are dealing with.
I've dealt with more than my share of people who want to argue with me about how I do things, despite the fact that they have no idea what they are talking about and they are NOT the one that has to deal with the repercussions. I left my birds ONCE for my sons wedding, 10 years ago. I left very specific and detailed instructions to the person who was caring for them. I came home to sick, and one dead bird, which based on organs and condition, I think died of dehydration. All but one waterer was empty. Feeders were nearly empty and filthy. I live in Florida, it was summer. I've never left my birds for more than 24 hours since. This was a person who'd had chickens previously, and whom was given plenty of reasons why things needed to be the way I asked. So. I'm sure it's far more difficult with "family", but it's everywhere. I get snarky comments from some of my family too. Fact is, it's just not a priority for them the same way it is for me. So be it.
Anyway. I hope you are able to get some kind of peace and cooperation, or are able to find somewhere else to keep them.

Thank you so much for your comment, I'm sorry for your loss but incredibly grateful to you for sharing your experience. I'm hoping to move out within the next few months because it breaks my heart watching these babies struggle.
The 8 ducks, 1 group of 2 week olds and one group that I don't think are a full week yet are locked into a "pen" for the night which is maybe 1 sq ft and has no actual walls its just chicken wire and a roof. The pen has no access to water and very limited food. They threw a heat lamp in there but refused the temperature gun when I suggested checking to see what the temperature is to prevent it from being too hot or too cold. I don't have any actual claim to the ducks or most of the chickens so I basically just have to sit here and watch them suffer.

 

[FrostRanger]

I am sorry you are dealing with horrible in laws. They're your birds and unless it's an emergency they should not be messing with them while you're not around

I wish you luck in finding your own place ASAP and if they're like that with your birds I would absolutely never let them watch any kids you have in the future, ever.

 

[NatJ]

They're your birds and unless it's an emergency they should not be messing with them while you're not around

The post just above yours would seem to disagree:

I don't have any actual claim to the ducks or most of the chickens so I basically just have to sit here and watch them suffer.

 

[Mirrium]

I am sorry you are dealing with horrible in laws. They're your birds and unless it's an emergency they should not be messing with them while you're not around

I wish you luck in finding your own place ASAP and if they're like that with your birds I would absolutely never let them watch any kids you have in the future, ever.

I completely agree though I hate to say it. I don't think I'd ever be able to relax knowing they have unrestricted access to children...
Their 1st batch of ducks from last year were left in awful conditions and handled so recklessly that almost all were eaten by one of their dogs. On top of that the one that did survive didn't live much longer due to the fact they'd been feeding them medicated chick crumbles and foodscraps with no grit their whole lives. When they found out why the duckling had passed they had the nerve to blame the tractor supply worker for not telling them that the ducklings couldn't have medicated crumbles...