Do I need to provide grit?

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

So this thread is going to be pretty short, since theirs not much to say...

I have a flock of 9 hens (6 are 2mo), who live in a pretty big run with access to lots of dirt and grass. The dirt here is pretty rocky, so I have only ever provided grit to my chicks while they were living inside; but should I provide it for all my hens 24/7? I have never noticed any problems with my hens, they lay well, haven't gotten sick, so I kind of assume they find their own grit.

Here is a picture of my run floor (sorry about the quality):

 

[azygous]

You would notice if your chickens weren't getting adequate grit. Since digestion cannot occur in a chicken without grit in the gizzard to grind it up, you would see cases of impacted crop or sour crop if food wasn't being digested properly.

But to be certain that adequate grit is present in your run, find a strainer and a magnifying lens and run a test. After straining out the finest particles, then look at the gravel that remains under magnification.

First the gravel must have angular shapes, not rounded. It's like having a garbage disposal unit that has either dull or sharp blades. Next measure the diameter of the gravel. It should be around an eighth of an inch in diameter or smaller. Gravel the size of coarse sand is what my chickens all prefer.

 

[ChaosMom]

You would notice if your chickens weren't getting adequate grit. Since digestion cannot occur in a chicken without grit in the gizzard to grind it up, you would see cases of impacted crop or sour crop if food wasn't being digested properly.

But to be certain that adequate grit is present in your run, find a strainer and a magnifying lens and run a test. After straining out the finest particles, then look at the gravel that remains under magnification.

First the gravel must have angular shapes, not rounded. It's like having a garbage disposal unit that has either dull or sharp blades. Next measure the diameter of the gravel. It should be around an eighth of an inch in diameter or smaller. Gravel the size of coarse sand is what my chickens all prefer.

^^^ All that, and I’d note that grit is cheap as dirt (har, har) and never goes bad, so why not buy a bag of crushed granite specifically labeled as grit for eating, not to pour on the ground and poop on? Pour it in some sort of container that won’t get knocked over, and IF a hen feels a hankering for it, boom, it’s there. Probably the most low-maintenance bit of chickening around!

Note for new members and for those from other (often UK) countries where “grit” may have multiple meanings, grit in this sense means ground rock with 0 nutritional value that helps break down food for easy digestion. Nothing to do with calcium for layers (oyster shell, etc.) And certainly nothing to do with sand and other products that you might consider using in your coop or run floor.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

This would make an excellent article, ladies. Hint, hint.