Do free-range chicken need grit?

[jgilliatt]

I have read different information. My chickens are out-of-pen from 6am - 8:30pm plucking around the yard. I feed them a bowl of starter and lots of treats like watermelon, oatmeal, and yogurt. Do I need to add grit to their meal or are they getting that from the dirt they eat? I have six sweet black Jersey Giants - about three months old.

 

[teach1rusl]

They should not need grit w/free ranging, as they will have tons of opportunities to pick up small rocks/gravel while out and about.

 

[Oven Ready]

We don't give ours any and when they are slaughtered their gizzards are full of small stones. My daughter checks them all for ... .... Diamonds !!!

 

[nanawendy]

 

[April Fountain]

Yup, no need on the grit but you still may want to give them oyster shell for calcium. I have free range chickens and when I stop putting the shell (just a little bit) in with their food, the egg shells get thin.

 

[1newchickontheblock]

Quote:
No.

 

[VA from WV]

They shouldn't. There are lots of opportunities for free range and pastured chickens to pick up the grit they need. You would have to be somewhere that there were no stones or something like that before it would become an issue.