Re: granite grit or crushed oyster shell?

In article <1169848141.194747.37170@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"FatIan" <mail@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

We must have contrary birds.

I would
suggest that the pheasants be allowed to clean the feeders empty now
and then so that they will indeed get the vitamins and minerals that
are contained in the pellets.Indeed -- "forcing" them not to be so fussy
is a good move.
It also prevents built up of old food.

--

regards
Jill Bowis

Pure bred utility chickens and ducks
Housing; Equipment, Books, Videos, Gifts
Herbaceous; Herb and Alpine nursery
Working Holidays in Scotlandhttp://www.kintaline.co.uk

To a recreational keeper like myself, there's little point in not
offering both. If you are feeding a "commercial" ration you'll probably
find the compounder will tell you that oyster shell is unnecessary as
there is sufficient calcium in the feed for normal purposes, whilst if
your birds are ranging over ground with a reasonable amount of grit
they'll probably pick enough "grinding" grit without supplementation.
To a commercial keeper, that's probably an invitation to cut down, or
out, both types of grit, but with a dozen hens and a ***, the cost is
so trivial that its no hardship to make sure by offering oyster shell
and flint grit.

In my case, our ground is covered with snow for about 7 months/year,
so I have to give my birds what they need. They free-range during our
short and sweet summer.

The commercial layer that I buy (Don's Mill & Feed, Anchorage, Alaska)
has calcium in it. Despite that, one of my biddies came out of her
molt and her shells were so thin that I broke them just trying to
pick them up. I'd been out of oystershell for a few weeks. I got
more shell and her eggs have a normal thickness now. (She lays eggs
with a distinctive speckled pattern. A barred rock hen. Most of my
girls are barred rock.)

Chooks are *really* fun little critters to keep. The eggs are a
bonus. So is the poop.

Jan in Alaska
59N, 151W

--
Bedouin proverb: If you have no troubles, buy a goat.
.