Grit And Minerals

[yeboah]

I only take youngsters from my stock birds ,During the breeding season they are given pink minerals and grit

My racers are celibate they never get pink or black minerals ,they get a multivit in water once a month when racing only

They have not had grit for 3 years

Remember listening to van lint say he had doubts about feeding minerals

Do you feed grit and minerals to racers and if so why ?

Thanks bit of a topic on these dark nights

[dal2]

I only take youngsters from my stock birds ,During the breeding season they are given pink minerals and grit

My racers are celibate they never get pink or black minerals ,they get a multivit in water once a month when racing only

They have not had grit for 3 years

Remember listening to van lint say he had doubts about feeding minerals

Do you feed grit and minerals to racers and if so why ?

Thanks bit of a topic on these dark nights

I will start

No black minerals to racers only grit. Grit and minerals only at certain times of year. Pick stones randomly thru year (racing)

[greenlands]

I read a topic in the RP years ago by a Canadian vet,who basically said the toxins in brown skin feeds such as maples and beans needs to be removed from the birds system,he suggested using pick blocks regular because of their Kaolin content ?

To be honest I wouldn't be without them and before you ask,lately I fly bloody rubbish,but that's me not the birds.

:emoticon-0138-thinking: :emoticon-0138-thinking:

[startenout]

hi correct me if im wrong is a handfull of fresh grit each day not to break the feeding down along with fresh water twice per day

[Wiley]

I feed fresh grit daily, clay and pickstone. When racing my birds do not recieve any after wednesday

[dal2]

hi correct me if im wrong is a handfull of fresh grit each day not to break the feeding down along with fresh water twice per day

no for me mate. grit twice a month if yer lucky lol and drinkers on hopper thru winter tho diffo maybe in racing

[andy Burgess]

all have grit here ,i read they need it to help process the grain they eat . i have on occasion run out , maybe for even as long as 2 weeks , they didnt start winning or anything when without it ? i also read about brown coloured grains and giving pick stones to counter-act any effects, so i do that too ? cheap vitamins in the water as and when ?? until some-one teaches me other-wise, i will stay with that

[billt]

Black minerals I only feed once a week and I must say they fight to get at it, In theory all grain eating birds will need grit, food goes via crop to gizzard for grinding before eventually going to stomach

[MIK]

I will start

No black minerals to racers only grit. Grit and minerals only at certain times of year. Pick stones randomly thru year (racing)

 

Steve can i ask why you do this?

i have grit and black mineral in front 24/7 ...if they want they pick , if they dont they dont.I also add pick blocks now and again. Black mineral for breeding seems to be a must for me ..they devour it ...also i believe the charcoal will help any gut problem they come by.

 

cheers

Mick

[dal2]

Steve can i ask why you do this?

i have grit and black mineral in front 24/7 ...if they want they pick , if they dont they dont.I also add pick blocks now and again. Black mineral for breeding seems to be a must for me ..they devour it ...also i believe the charcoal will help any gut problem they come by.

 

cheers

Mick

Don't think there is any specific reason to it mik just the way it's done here lol.I suppose I would like to think control of what they ate...not letting them gorge on any one thing. nothing hard and fast in this game and others will think it's mental but nobody takes any harm from it

[philg50]

I give a pick pot now and again same with vitamins just when i mine ,they like it when they get it and eat it up .

[b.massey]

I did not like the amount they drank when black minerals down! Made me worry if consumed on a Thursday or Friday they may become dehydrated if no access to water after basketing

 

Birds love the matrix but I only give them it no more than twice Sunday and Tuesday

[walterboswell59]

i have both in front of them 24 7 if they want it they take it but fined the black stuff a must when rearing youngsters

[Roland]

Just chuck a couple of handfuls on the patio. They have as and when... when gone or wife has swept up ... I chuck some more down .... Still doesn't stop them pick up every where else lol.

Mate won't let them have any after Wednesday as he says extra weight to carry in the races.

But where and how Quartz gets in their crop is a mystery.

[We man]

Was told a long time ago by Master Breeder John Crowder never to give black minerals,he said he had opened up birds and had found their insides to be clogged up due to giving black mineral,i never used them again.

[Novice]

Could I ask those who don't feed minerals if they use electrolytes in the water?

In my opinion both have similar components. The salts found in minerals are also electrolytes. Whether or not they are the correct ones I don't know but I would suggest that if you use neither then you may be doing your birds an injustice.

I never buy grit as there is more than enough in matrix which I feed but in a dilute form. Even if I didn't feed matrix I am sure they would find enough grit in the garden.

[GRAHAM MITCHELL]

use matrix and versele laga redstone grit daily and black minerals during breeding.

[yeboah]

Could I ask those who don't feed minerals if they use electrolytes in the water?

In my opinion both have similar components. The salts found in minerals are also electrolytes. Whether or not they are the correct ones I don't know but I would suggest that if you use neither then you may be doing your birds an injustice.

I never buy grit as there is more than enough in matrix which I feed but in a dilute form. Even if I didn't feed matrix I am sure they would find enough grit in the garden.

Hi robert

I stopped giving black minerals to breeders because they would gorge on it and drink far to much water

Still give them pink minerals ,but found if I left it with racers they weren't intrested hence like any penny pinching Scot why waste money lol racers happy without grit ,I do give them maybe once a month during racing a multivit in water like vita pro or johnsons tonic and to get them right when required a good multi energy oil

Other than that plenty fresh water ,certainly no additives during winter

When I visited John Smale about 13 years ago he told me to be very careful with minerals leading up to nationals

[Novice]

Hi robert

I stopped giving black minerals to breeders because they would gorge on it and drink far to much water

Still give them pink minerals ,but found if I left it with racers they weren't intrested hence like any penny pinching Scot why waste money lol racers happy without grit ,I do give them maybe once a month during racing a multivit in water like vita pro or johnsons tonic and to get them right when required a good multi energy oil

Other than that plenty fresh water ,certainly no additives during winter

When I visited John Smale about 13 years ago he told me to be very careful with minerals leading up to nationals

 

Mike I feel that their needs are different at different times in the cycle.

Johnstone pigeon tonic now you are talking a good old fashioned tonic. I think it is beneficial.

I once asked a colleague to analyse it some years ago and although the composition may have changed a bit since then I think the biggest component was Glaubers Salts and an Iron salt. There were other trace minerals but these seem to have been the largest components by far.

My intention had been to make my own but I was too lazy and continued to fill the pockets of my grain merchant.

I do use black minerals during rearing but I restrict it. I believe the black carbon which is charcoal helps to remove some of the rubbish which builds in the crop.

It works on the sme principle as brushing your teeth with soot from the chimney----those of us who are old enough to remember that.

[MIK]

Don't think there is any specific reason to it mik just the way it's done here lol.I suppose I would like to think control of what they ate...not letting them gorge on any one thing. nothing hard and fast in this game and others will think it's mental but nobody takes any harm from it

 

thanks for reply Steve

[dal2]

It appears that fresh grit and minerals every day has either been replaced by other feeds such as matrix ( I use that and should have mentioned ) or is just not that important?

[Kyleakin Lofts]

I use my own mix like matrix as and when I remember to give them it. They often enjoy it, but if it is there all the time they lose interest.

If you really want them to eat it with fervour only give it occasionally, but they may gorge themselves. If you believe they require it, give it daily and they will soon limit themselves.

[Roland]

I feel that the system one has makes a difference and whether one believes in them. Best years I had I never gave them anything. Could barely afford to feed them lol. Just thought that I should because I had some stock birds... Now I feel it is only - for me any way - a way of watching them content picking up around the garden. Cut open a crop and you will see qualz etc. IN all birds whether prisoners or not. How and where it comes from baffles me too.

Was told grit was to help with their' digestion. In reality I doubt that very much.

Mate and a stepson of mine never chewed any food. Just swallowed it whole. I tried to say it needed the 28 chomps I was led to believe. Asked the doctor - most to back me up, and stop my whining and wringing my hands lol, about it. He said. No problem at all. Can't do any harm as it is the stomach acid that does it job and needs no help at all!

Hence animals too.... But cattle have lay down to chew the grud. Rabbits eat it twice etc. Ah but that is grass etc.