Will 8 week chicks self regulate their grit intake?

[m2wandc]

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This seems more like what I've heard...but still curious to hear more on why sand is bad???

I have one silkies that seems impacted each night and then by morning after having grit offered, he's fine...but then again during the day he doesn't have grit avail and he gets 'full' and lumpy...

SOooooooo for me, I offer grit, but it's up to them most of the time on whether or not they are going to eat it...I either toss it on the ground or give them a bowl of it, on occasion I've sprinkled it on their food....I see it more of a 'can't hurt' thing...hence the reason I'd like to hear more on why it's bad in some people's oppinions.

 

[jvls1942]

the basic answer is yes.
if they have access to the ground we walk on they will find their own grit. a little grit goes a long way.. you do not have to make it half and half.. grit wears away in the gizzard, it does not digest, so it lasts much longer than the feed does..

 

[MaineChick]

Is fine cracked corn okay to give 7 week old chickens as grit? I feed it daily, a bit less than a half cup for 11 chicks and they eat it up. Too much?

Thanks for starting this thread, I'd begun to wonder if what I was providing was what they needed or if they just thought it was a super treat.

 

[annek]

I don't think cracked corn would be considered grit, it is supposed to be like candy for chicken so don't give them a lot of it but I think you should give them grit unless they are free ranging.

 

[lorrir]

I buy one bag of grit every other time I but feed. I alternate grit and oyster shell.

My chickens free range during the day, they love my garden and we don't have any more fire ants, so I think they get enough grit from the ground, I just throw in the grit a little at a time when I add feed to the feed bucket.

 

[m2wandc]

I don't think cracked corn counts as grit....the feed store should have something like crushed oyster shell or you can get grit for a parakeet in the box if you only have a few birds...

 

[m2wandc]

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Do your chickens eat the fire ants???

We have HUGE red ants down in our vineyard...wonder if they'd like me to 'relocate' a couple as treat???

 

[cybercat]

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Dawn I was refering to the posters 8 week old chicks not adults. When I was refering to mixing it in feed. It helps with that gorging effect. As you know a little goes a long way when it comes to grit.

If chicks or chicks have access to the ground then no they do not Need grit. But in the case of the poster saying that her chicks were gorging on grit that can be bad.

Sand depending on what type can be OK or not. Native sand will not be a problem for it is not manufactured sand. In the process of making play sand all the edge are ground off to make it more safe for kids. Manufacture sand like play is uniform in size native is not so that helps alot. Feeding maufactured sand would not be good for chicks as it would not do what it is meant to by grinding food. Sand can be too fine for grit and not rough enough to do its job. In a case like that a chicken might eat more and more and get impacted as food is not breaking down. It happens and more than you know.

Just because you can not find written proof means nothing for the old chicken raisers did not doucment stuff. Even today if a chicken dies from a impacted crop most times it is not found out why it got impacted. I personally do know of a couple of cases where sand was fed as grit and a chicken died of impacted crop. Again this was store bought sand not native. This is one of those better be safe than sorry senarios.

 

[m2wandc]

Thanks for elaborating on that...

I appreciate it, because like I said, our ground is sand...so I offer grit NOW, but didn't intend on offering it forever...I figured once they were out free ranging, then I'd offer grit maybe now and then, but mostly let nature do it's thing....

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:
grit and oyster shells should not be added to the feed dish.. put them aside as free choice.. It sounds like you are going through way more than is needed..

I currently have 55 laying hens and I do not offer oyster shells at all. as long as their egg shells are not thin and weak, they do not need the suppliment..

grit can be as fine sand.. see my first post on this thread and try that..