It sounds like it would smell or be diseased, but I have not ever seen chicken scratch.

 

I found this about chicken scratch….

Usually, scratch is made out of a mixture of milo, millet, barley, rolled corn, oats, wheat, sunflower seeds, and other ingredients. These are natural ingredients but they are sold premixed in feed bags so that you don’t have to go through the effort of making your own

So, maybe it’s just me, but I wouldn’t use organic materials for model train ballast….

 

I found this about chicken scratch….



So, maybe it’s just me, but I wouldn’t use organic materials for model train ballast….

Woodland Scenics is actually ground up walnut shell!

 

OK, google,
Chicken scratch is a type of feed that consists of different types of seeds and grains that hens enjoy eating. For example, it may contain cracked corn, barley, wheat, oats, or sunflower seeds. Considered a treat, birds will “scratch” around in the dirt to pick up every last bit, hence the name.

So it is a form of seed?
I guess it would be OK as long as you don't have chickens in the train room.

 

NO NO! It would absorb water and become a smelly mess!!!!!! Basically, it's chicken food! When you experiment glueing it, get ready to scrape it up and trash it!!

Regards, Bobby

 

I stand corrected... it's called chicken grit and it's made out of insoluble limestone. 5lbs for $8.00 at Tractor Supply. Tom

 

Damn, now I have to google that.

 

Now you're talking!

 

OK, sounds better then scratch.
Grit for chickens

Grit refers to a finely ground hard substance that is given to chickens. There are two types of poultry grit: oystershell grit and flint grit. Oystershell grit is a type of calcium that helps make eggshells stronger. Insoluble grit, also known as flint grit, helps chickens with digestion.

Oyster shells hmmmm.

 

So now we are talking the Flint grit, I guess that would be OK, free is nice.

Edit, I thought a girl was getting you it?

 

This was 25 years ago and I don't know where she bought it and she lived in a different little town. I see some of it has probiotics in it. The stuff Tractor Supply sells says limestone. Tom

 

The sample she gave me would be perfect for my layout. Tractor Supply doesn't appear to carry the particular color. NUTZ! Tom

 

Interesting... crushed limestone 25# bag from Mana Pro for $10. average size "grit" is about a tenth of an inch. May be a little big for N scale ballast, but would be good for talus.

My wife might like this as a soil additive for her house plants.

 

Interesting... crushed limestone

My wife might like this as a soil additive for her house plants.

I would use the oyster shells over the limestone.
Check out worm castings for outdoor plants.
Good stuff, a little is all you need to do a lot of plants.
Great for adding to a small vegetable garden, but don't over apply it.

Amazon.com : worm castings

My rose bush loves it. All my plants love it.

 

I raise chickens and ducks, the grit I get is crushed oyster shells, but there are different varieties and materials

 

The only chicken grit I've ever seen would be too coarse for anything smaller than O scale. Maybe they make different grinds.

That said, the point is well-made: there are lots of common materials that can substitute for the often over-priced hobby products.

 

I think it was back in the 1970s Model Railroader magazine had an article about using clay cat litter for track ballast. A 30 pound bag of Tidy Cat litter costs $7.50 at Walmart.

 

Yes but most varieties of Tidy Cat litter now contain clumping agents. When exposed to liquid, it turns into a semi-solid chunk. Great for easily removing waste from your litter box, doesn't work at all for a layout.

 

Do not use chicken scratch. It will attract insects and rodents. Grit is also made from granite. It can be used.

 

I had tried chicken grit many years ago, as CTV said it's to large for HO. While the color was fitting, the stuff I used was red rock I believe but it was very difficult to spread due to it's size and shaped. Size comparison I would consider actual track ballast being the size of a oblong tennis ball, using chicken grit would be like having volleyball size ballast. But as the old saying goes, it's your layout. But spreading it will be difficult.

 

Do-it-yourself roadbed track, eh?

 

Eeew.

 

Too bad kitty litter doesn't work, we get it for $11 per 40lb bag.

 

SOME of it does, depending on scale and whether it's a clumping variety or not.

 

I wonder how to dye cat litter black . Then it could be used for coal loads .

 

Black food dye?
Black clothing dye?
Might work, let it soak then dry real good.

 

Kitty litter, by definition, is porous and absorbs liquid. Put some in a dixie cup, add some thinned black paint, and mix. It should take the stain just fine.

 

There is also lots of variety of aquarium sand colors. Much of it would be suitable for HO scale ballast or coal loads.

 

I saw this in an add...
TEXLIME General Purpose Limestone Grit for Poultry, 44 lb (20 kg)
$10.69

Not sure of the granular size but, it cheap...