The Poultry Keeper

shire horse girl · Joined: 18 Mar 2008 Posts: 519 Location: lincoln

Getting my girls on Sunday , have got the food and some grit do i scatter the grit or put it in a dish?

kated · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 2041 Location: norfolk

Put it in a container that they can reach at all times. Also either protect from the rain or make holes in the bottom of the container for the rain to drain through. Do the same with oyster shell if you are not getting the all in one grit/oystershell mix.

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1443 Location: Leicestershire

You can get proper holders for it that nail onto a wall it keeps the rain off, it also stops them scratching it all over the place Very Happy

I put mine in a tray and within minutes it's everywhere Confused

so probably I need to get a proper holder too Laughing

Itsybitsy

flump · Joined: 20 Apr 2008 Posts: 113 Location: Northants

Is it necessary to buy grit ? or can they get their own when scratching about in the garden ?
flump-x-

mojo · Posted: Sat May 03, 2008 8:29 pm Post subject:

both is a good idea as the bought stuff is always to hand and the right size.................but like all women they like a change and choice

flump · Joined: 20 Apr 2008 Posts: 113 Location: Northants

very true lol,will have to get some next week
flump-x-

monicalock · Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 22 Location: aldershot, hants

yes they need the grit and oystershell mix as it gives calcium - needed for them and their eggs. also hens have no teeth so it sits in their throat and chews the food up with the muscle movements. we bake their old eggshells then break them up so the girls can eat them too. but don't forget to break them small so that they don't recognise them and start to peck at their newly laid eggs. they still need the oystershell tho'. Smile

paddles · Posted: Tue May 20, 2008 11:39 am Post subject:

Be careful when feeding ad lib oyster shell along side a complete food too much calcium can cause an imbalance and lead to rickets.

kated · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 2041 Location: norfolk

Rickets is caused by lack of vitamin D/sunshine - can't quite work out how overdosing on calcium can cause this but am willing to be converted. Also, chickens will only take oyster shell if their systems require it so it should theoretically be impossible for them to get too much.

mojo · Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 9:36 pm Post subject:

kated is right ricketts is a vitimin deficamcy problem not a calcium one i think you will find

flump · Joined: 20 Apr 2008 Posts: 113 Location: Northants

Just another query,can you give them crushed sea shells ?

kated · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 2041 Location: norfolk

Indeed yes. Some folks seem to think you should boil it first to stop nasties but not sure if that's necessary.