Elderly cat breathing difficulties when purring

[Dave36]

Hi, I wonder if someone can advise me on the feeding of mixed chicken grit, On the tub it says a handfull a week mixed with there food but i have also noted that some people just leave a bowl in there run for them to help themselves we have 4 20 week old girls and they are currently on grass and not free raging as yet any reccomendations please

 

Thanks Dave & Jo

 

No eggs as yet

[cluckbok]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

 

We leave a clip on feeder attached to their run with the grit in so they can help themselves. We also give them mixed corn as a treat and that already has grit in it.

[Dave36]

Many thanks for a quick reply, I think i will do the same, ( can or will they over eat on this stuff) Sorry we are new to this

 

Thanks

[Tara.F]

I believe that 'mixed' grit already contains oyster shell or other soluble calcium source (but do check the ingredients) if it does, all you need to do is make it available.

This could be in a little pot, thrown onto the floor of the run (it's not food so won't attract vermin) where they can scratch for it or you can add it to their food.

They know how much they need, and they won't eat too much

 

If the grit doesn't contain a source of calcium, you need to provide some....oyster shell or limestone flour are both good.

 

grit is for digestion, calcium is for shell production

[lindyloodles]

I cannibalised a small flower pot and attached it to the run mesh with metal plant rings (used a bradawl to poke 2 holes through the plant pot to pass the rings through. I just chuck a handful of grit in every now and then when it looks empty - about once a fortnight /3 weeks, but that is more becasue the chooks throw it all over the grass and I regularly move the run around the garden than because they consume a lot.

[superjules]

I use a little coop cup intended for parrot cages to put their grit in and just top it up when it looks a bit low, probably once or twice a week.

[poachedegg]

We have a small metal bowl attached to the run but it doesn't seem to go down at all.

 

What I have started doing is mixing some in with their afternoon treat ( a mixture of Layer Pellets, a little water, a little garlic powder, tsp of mixed grit with baked grinded egg shells in and then whatever we have to hand like celery/lettuce/cucumber) - that way we know they are eating some.

 

HTH

[Milly]

Our grit lasts for months but they seem to treat the oyster shells almost as another foodstuff! It may be that they get enough grit from freeranging but need the shell for calcium. Like some of the others have said, I have a small clip on feeder which I fill whenever it runs out, they seem to take it when they need it.

 

Milly

[Hen Watch]

I put mixed grit in a ceramic bowl in the run. It is always kept full. It varies, sometimes I top it up every few days, but a few weeks ago they were getting through a handful of grit a day.

 

I used mixed grit which has shell already in it. But I also bake their egg shells in the oven (this stinks by the way) and crush them up and add it to the grit.

[Egluntyne]

I go for the plant pot method myself, with a tent peg holding it down.

 

Works well.

[TAJ]

Like Milly mine eat out more of the shell than grit, so I buy shell on its own as well and add extra to the mixed grit. Those clever tricks obviously know what's what so eat what they need when they need it.

 

Tracy

[TheCoop]

We use mixed grit and I mix it in with their food.

[*mummy_hen*]

I am new to this too - so feel a bit out of place advising, but we are putting ours in a little plastic coop cup that just fits onto the girls run and they can help themselves as and when they please then.