Do Not Use Crushed Granite!!!

[jvls1942]

I find i hard to believe it is the granite.. in the firs place, the granite is caught in the gizzard and acts like teeth to chew up the seeds and grain.. it passes out of the gizzard only after it is reduced to a very small size.. the gizzard acts like a rock polisher and the sharp edges would be removed by the time it passes on.. have you ever found large bits of rock in your chicken poo?? I don't think so..

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I have to agree. Even if there was a piece of granite grit in the intestines doesn't mean that's what cut it. Maybe the vet jumped to an incorrect conclusion?

 

[Wynette]

This is perplexing to me, too. I honestly don't think crushed granite can cause intestinal lesions...but I am VERY sorry to hear about your girl, regardless!! I hope she pulls through!

 

[chicknmania]

I think it must be something else, too. Ours are free range and in addition to commercial grit (I never looked to see what kind of rocks those are) they also consume tiny pieces of gravel off the driveway, from the barn floor, and, being free range who knows what else they eat. I do know they eat styrofoam if they can find it.

Point being, they can eat a lot of things they probably shouldn't and don't seem to have any problems. And why wouldn't all your birds have the same problem. I'd question the vet, if I were you. If you are going to go to that much effort to save her, especially. Good luck, I hope it turns out ok for her and you, but, if it doesn't, I'd want a necropsy done by someone else.

 

[Attack Chicken]

Her gizzard got an over load of grit. Which I have found it in their poo and it wasn't polished. She's doing better today but she is still critical.

 

[Superior Chicks]

I am so rooting for your girl! Please she should be okay and be fine again............................please let us know how she is doing and how everything turns out. I, for one, will be waiting to hear.

Thank you for sharing the information that you have learned thus far.

Ma

 

[BannieBaby]

I was surprised to see “granite” of any kind as a product for chickens as it is one of the hardest rocks and has sharp as glass edges. It is also heavy which begs the question: does it void completely? I punctured my finger on a piece. I threw out the entire 7lb bag.

 

[K0k0shka]

I was surprised to see “granite” of any kind as a product for chickens as it is one of the hardest rocks and has sharp as glass edges. It is also heavy which begs the question: does it void completely? I punctured my finger on a piece. I threw out the entire 7lb bag.

This thread is 17 years old and crushed granite (the kind sold specifically for poultry, with rounded edges on the particles) is absolutely fine to give to chickens. They need to eat rocks in order to grind their food up in their gizzards, and the harder the better so it withstands the grinding without falling apart.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I was surprised to see “granite” of any kind as a product for chickens as it is one of the hardest rocks and has sharp as glass edges. It is also heavy which begs the question: does it void completely? I punctured my finger on a piece. I threw out the entire 7lb bag.

No idea what happened in the original story but granite is ideal specifically because it's hard and sharp. Think about why our teeth work - they're hard and sharp. Chickens will pick out pieces that are the right size for them and intake them for help in grinding down food. It must work well for them because the granite that gets pooped out is much smaller and very smooth.

 

[Apis mellifera]

I don't know if granite harms chickens, but when I bought a bag of it I was surprised at the shape. A lot of it was sharp so I didn't use it. Anytime I processed chickens the gizzard was full of grinding stones, not knifes! I just dump a bag of tube sand in the yard, it has plenty of pea size grinding stones and the hens love to dig around in it.