I am REALLY confused on this subject... So ive heard that chickens need some type of grit to go in their gullet to help grind down food so it is digested easier (I have heard Oyster shell and Granite grit both work) but I have also heard that they need calcium (obtainable from eggshells) Is that right?
Oyster shell is what I give to my girls for there calcium. I have never gave my girls grit, they pick at the ground all the time and so they get there "grit" from there. I am sure that some one else will pipe in on this.
two different things Oyster shell provides calcium. Granite grit helps grind grain and other foods. If you only feed pellets, crumbles or mash - no grit is needed. That feed is ground grain and reformulated. If you feed scratch grains they need grit. Grit should be sized for the age/size of the bird. I don't give chicks anything but grower so I only use #3 Adult grit for grown birds. Totally free ranging birds with pebbles in the pasture don't need grit but it's always better to provide it. Oyster shell, while hard, dissolves in the system so does not provide the necessary strength of grit. Egg shells are a substitute for oyster shell but oyster shell is the best source of calcium available and is absorbed slowly. They need calcium absorbed all day but especially at night when shells are normally formed.
I will say this the shells on my eggs are so strong that when they hit the floor they might crack but there is no mess to clean.
Yes, as others have noted: grit is nondigestible. Poultry grit is usually granite chips, which have rough, irregular edges perfect for grinding food in the chicken's gizzard. If your chickens are free ranged, they can usually find their own grit, although some people like to provide poultry grit anyway, just in case. A calcium supplement is a digestible source of calcium. It can come from crushed up eggshells, or from oyster shell. Layer rations include calcium, but many people also offer oyster shell or some other form of supplemental calcium, just in case.
