Grit

[Middletown Morrises]

Crazy question: how much grit does one, adult chicken need? My girl is recovering nicely from a raccoon attack but has a damaged beak so struggles to eat hard things. Her gullet (?) is filling and I couldn’t convince her to peck at the bowl of grit I provided. So with my daughter’s help, we “convinced her” to take 5 pieces of grit and lick them down. Fluffy didn’t love being handled but I’m positive we didn’t hurt her. I planned to try to get 5 little grits in her per day but maybe I need more? Or less?
anybody out there have any clue in this?

 

[OreoH]

Grit usually lasts a long time. Each piece of tiny rock is rubbed down against food and other pieces until its the size of sand. Chickens seem to know when to use it. If you are talking about her crop, the lump on her chest, it is normal for that to fill up. Mine all have bulging crops that only empty at night and early morning. The crop is where the chicken stores food for later, if they aren't hungry or are already digesting something else. How was her beak damaged?

 

[featherhead007]

I loved that movie "True Grit" Yah, I know......

 

[Middletown Morrises]

She survived a raccoon attack about three weeks ago, now. She’s healing up and she is getting her personality back so I’m feeling Very positive about her recovery. Her crop isn’t emptying in the morning and I made the mistake of giving her too many treats lately, not thinking about the grit issue. (Lettuce, spinach, blueberries, & watermelon to keep the girls I have left cool in this heat.
She can only really “lick” things in right now. It’s a weird licking thing she does with her tongue now that she never did before. I have to break the melon into little pieces for her to get any—it’s like she’s afraid to peck.
I really think she is due for some grit ...?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Probably depends on the size of the grit, I'd imagine... maybe once a month? It takes a while for grit to wear down, assuming you're using something hard like granite.

 

[Perris]

You risk filling her crop with grit if you keep force feeding her it. Maybe that is why she is only interested in liquids now.

 

[Middletown Morrises]

Thank you for your responses! I appreciate the collaboration