A chickychickychick-ENN!! Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 I'm very low on gizzard grit and won't be able to get to my normal supplier before the weekend. Can you use anything from a DIY supplier like B&Q or is it 'special' grit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 I wouldn't have thought that three days would make much difference. Do they free range? if they do they will pick up little stones. I'm sure some body else will be along to correct me if I am well off base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollystar Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Crush up some egg shells for a few days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggienator Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Crush up some egg shells for a few days Are you supposed to bake them before doing this? I think I read that somewhere. Presumbly infection control? Cheers Aggie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raffik Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 They should be Okay without grit. It's not a food, just a suppliment to harden shells. I give my girls a handful maybe every other week and their eggs are always hard shelled. They pick up bits of stone when they peck around. I am not sure if you can use anything from Homebase, I would have thought not, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherryblossom Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Now, am I getting confused??? I have read that grit is for breaking up food in the crop, and broken shell is for making the egg shells (being too soft for breaking up food). I certainly have two different ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Now, am I getting confused??? I have read that grit is for breaking up food in the crop, and broken shell is for making the egg shells (being too soft for breaking up food). I certainly have two different ones. Many people use oyster shell for grit which is indeed used to break up food in the gizzard. However the grit itself is pulverised in the process and being oyster shell, is high in calcium which in turn, being absorbed, is used in forming the eggshell. The idea behind recycling the eggshells is to add extra calcium. Baking them just makes them easier to crush. Layers pellets have grit added I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherryblossom Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 I read that the shell was too soft to break up grains though, and that if giving grains to add hard grit. Layer pellets being softer did not need them though. Have I been reading wrong info and wasting my money on extra grit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 I don't think so. If your chooks are eating the grit then they obviously need it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A chickychickychick-ENN!! Posted February 10, 2009 Author Share Posted February 10, 2009 Does anyone know a grit supplier in north Kent? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 If they are free ranging, they will manage without it for a few days, as DA suggests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bringmesunshine Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Mine free range and never get any grit and their egg shells are nice and hard. The new layers' eggs were softer - but that's what happens with new layers. Check your layers pellets, some contain enough gritty material that you don't need to give any extra, especially if they free range. BTW baking egg shells is to stop the hens realising that you're giving them egg shells, otherwise they might start pecking the eggs before you get a chance to collect them! Cooking them changes the taste and smell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 BTW baking egg shells is to stop the hens realising that you're giving them egg shells, otherwise they might start pecking the eggs before you get a chance to collect them! Cooking them changes the taste and smell. Ah I didn't know that Of course it makes sense. I grind mine in a pestle and mortar to a co"Ooops, word censored!" powder and add it to their mash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 You might be able to get mixed grit from a local pet food supplier / pet shop. Edited to add: not sure whether it's in North Kent, but there is a Pets at Home in Dartford which might have what you need. My local PaH have chicken pellets etc in stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 My local PAH (Crayford) only has pellets and I can never find Grit. None of the other smaller pet shops seem to do anything similar (yet!). I must admit that I can't always get grit in the horse suppliers that I use for the food and supplements etc so I've been relying on baked egg shells and the fact that just outside the run I have a lot of pea shingle. I bought two bags last time so that I don't run out so quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherryblossom Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Do they not do grit for budgies etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One_Box Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 The ideal grit for chooks is flint grit (I have seen it in Scats). It is very sharp and is taken down into the gizzard where it grinds up the food (especially important if you give your girls mixed corn). Small stones the girls pick up when free ranging in the garden are not so effective as they tend to be weathered. Do not feed your chooks oyster shell (calcium) by itself as the calcium/phosphorus balance is upset within the hen leading to thin egg shells, rickets, brittle and early loss of feathering. Good quality layers mash/pellets is formulated to provide the correct ratio of calcium and phosphorus to produce sound egg shells. There is no need to supplement it with crushed egg shells. I gleaned this information from a poultry newsletter I take produced by two guys with over 50 years experience in the trade. Hope you find this information useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One_Box Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I gleaned the following information from a poultry newsletter I take produced by two expert guys with over 50 years experience between them in the trade. I hope you find it useful The ideal grit for chooks is flint grit (I have seen it in Scats). It is very sharp and is taken down into the gizzard where it grinds up the food (especially important if you give your girls mixed corn). Small stones the girls pick up when free ranging in the garden are not so effective as they tend to be weathered. Do not feed your chooks oyster shell (calcium) by itself as the calcium/phosphorus balance is upset within the hen leading to thin egg shells, rickets, brittle and early loss of feathering. Good quality layers mash/pellets is formulated to provide the correct ratio of calcium and phosphorus to produce sound egg shells. There is no need to supplement it with crushed egg shells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherryblossom Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Yes, that is pretty much what I read, but I did also read that you should provide some crushed shell if the birds are freeranging as they wouldn't necesserily be getting all the calcium they need from the lesser amount of pellets, and they would know if they need the extra shell, and not eat it if they don't. I put a small plate out of it for mine about 3 weeks ago and at first they had a fair bit, but they don't seem to be touching it now. But it is there if they need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 The ideal grit for chooks is flint grit (I have seen it in Scats). It is very sharp and is taken down into the gizzard where it grinds up the food (especially important if you give your girls mixed corn). Small stones the girls pick up when free ranging in the garden are not so effective as they tend to be weathered. Do not feed your chooks oyster shell (calcium) by itself as the calcium/phosphorus balance is upset within the hen leading to thin egg shells, rickets, brittle and early loss of feathering. Good quality layers mash/pellets is formulated to provide the correct ratio of calcium and phosphorus to produce sound egg shells. There is no need to supplement it with crushed egg shells. I gleaned this information from a poultry newsletter I take produced by two guys with over 50 years experience in the trade. Hope you find this information useful. What's this? I give mine oyster shell. Comes in a large sack labelled "Poultry Grit" from my local farmers' shop. Have I been doing something wrong? Chooks seem OK and their eggs are fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 What's this? I give mine oyster shell. Comes in a large sack labelled "Poultry Grit" from my local farmers' shop. Have I been doing something wrong? Chooks seem OK and their eggs are fine. Oyster shell can be bought separately, sans grit and much more finely ground than the identifiable pieces in mixed poultry grit. Advice varies about this. Some suggest the feeding of flint grit only alongside layers pellets, maybe for that reason. *shrugs* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One_Box Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I'm still wading through a large sack of poultry grit myself but will be moving to flint grit eventually. Like you DA ,I haven't noticed any problem with my chooks to date Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiblick Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 On the subject of grit. I'm very unlikely to find flint grit here in Dublin or Ireland for that matter, so does anyone know if Pigeon Grit is okay to give chickens? ...could always smash up the piece of flint I got that time I thought I might try flint knapping... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 You could always try eBay. Might be somewhere near you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wiblick Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 yeah I've tried ebay - all the suppliers are based in the UK and postage is astronomical, as can be appreciated since they would be sending rock! I'm trying to sweet talk www.birdfood.ie into stocking flint grit - they stock layers & oyster shell grit and mixed grain and offer free shipping on orders over €80 which is great, I'd be planning to stock up for 3 months at at time anyway and so would easily be spending that amount... I've sourced Bokashi in a green energy shop where it's sold as a composter and will make do with supermarket garlic powder. Although I will get my redmite powder from Omlet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
