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drowe005

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I've posted this on BYC and cant seem to get a response so I figured Id try here. In specfic I have Chukars, but Im sure its the same for all birds. The other day, I got some small sized grit from the feed store and mixed about 1/2 cup in their feed hopper and sprinkled some more around the cage on some of the wooden parts. Is is possible to have too much grit available to them, or will they only take it as needed? Thanks
 
Agree with Mama. If it is granite grit and you are going to have them lay, you might want to include some oyster shell. Granite grit the size of aquarium gravel is about right for chukkas, I think it is called "pullet-size" here, but that may change from brand to brand.
 
Are you feeding them scratch and grass? If not, and just the pellet feed, they don't need grit. If they have access to the outside, they will find their own grit.
 
As of now I've only been feeding them crumble game bird feed and thats it but I would like to supplement their food with some natural things. I occasionally put lettuce in with them and they seem to love it, and also sometimes clover but they dont seem to mess with that. Do you have any suggestions for natural things to feed them as well?
 
If they get nothing but poultry feed they don't need grit. Everything in it is already ground up. If you are using a special mix, organic with whole ingredients, or giving them anything you would have to chew then they need grit. There are 2 kinds of grit. Granite grit will not dissolve and sometimes birds will over eat on it the first time they see it. You sometimes have to start with small amounts and work your way up. It should not be added to feed mixes and is best offered in a separate dish where they will use what they need. Too much will cause problems. The other kind would be like oyster shell that dissolves over time. Technically this is not grit but across the pond and with older pet bird keepers it often gets called grit leading to much confusion which is why many have taken to including it but explaining the difference. They cannot over eat soluble grit like that because it will digest and not cause problems but personally I don't feel poultry need calcium forced on them so I still wouldn't mix it in the feed. I'd still offer a separate dish. Granite grit will digest more things and last longer while oyster shell will not handle heavy items like hay (chickens have died of impaction because they only had oyster shell and were given hay) and will be digested quickly.
 
Im pretty sure what I have is not oyster shell, it is Manna Pro small size grit, I am unable to find exactly what it is on the package. Is the same alfalfa hay that I give my rabbits ok to give to them on occassion?
 
I wasnt talking about the hay part of it, more so the flakey smaller pieces of alfalfa that come mixed throughout the bail. Id imagine grass broken up would be ok as well?
 
Most poultry likes legume hay to pick the leaves off. They generally don't bother with grass hay except to make a mess unless they are nesting. I don't know if chukar would nest but quail will not in captivity very often. It's exceedingly rare and takes a natural setup (solid floor, branches, leaves, dried grass huts....) with a variety of foods to have a chance at triggering them.

Lots of people grow mealworms for their poultry. It's very easy and there are a ton of instructions on the internet.
 

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