# Eating sand....



## chickadee3 (Apr 14, 2013)

... Is this normal?! They wander around my garden in a large pen and have actually created their own dust bath which they use under a tree. 
They have a dust bath with sand in, which i put into the pen (as i wasnt initially aware they'd made their own!) and never took it out as they enjoyed playing in it - but now seem to eat prefer to it! I am assuming they are using it as grit - is this okay?! Thank you, forum friends! X


----------



## ellis36 (Mar 25, 2013)

IMO, as long as they have plenty of food, water and free will they will be OK. Dust baths are a big part of a chicken’s life. Mine free-range and there are dust holes all over the place, including the manure pile and the sand pile. (The manure pile is warm and the sand pile is cool.)


----------



## chickadee3 (Apr 14, 2013)

Thanks, Ellis! They always have access to fresh water and food, so it seems to be just 'for fun'!
That's reassuring, and much appreciated - thank you! X


----------



## GenFoe (Apr 3, 2013)

My kids sandbox is in the backyard kind of near the coop. It is always covered but there is sand on the edges all the time. The chickens love eating the little pebbles off of the edges. It seems to be a good height for them and its really clean. If the kids are playing in it they constantly have to shoo chickens out!


----------



## chickadee3 (Apr 14, 2013)

Thanks, GenFoe! I guess they just like sand! Honestly, I learn more about them every day and they do make me laugh! 
I really do appreciate advice as I new to this! X


----------



## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

Yes they are using it as grit, no worries.


----------



## kjohnstone (Mar 30, 2013)

I'm a newbie too, and have discovered that my chicks (now 10-11 wks old) go nuts for sand. Gave them some when they were just a wk old, and never stopped.


----------



## JC17 (Apr 4, 2013)

They're using it as grit for food digestion.You should supply real grit to them free-choice, it also comes in smaller sized chick grit.


----------



## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

JC17 said:


> They're using it as grit for food digestion.You should supply real grit to them free-choice, it also comes in smaller sized chick grit.


When free ranging, you do not need to supply store bought grit. Heck even if your not free ranging, all you have to do is give them clumps of dirt or just some sand. Grit is mainly for birds who don't have access to real ground and can't get the grit themselves from the dirt.


----------

