Gizzard question and rocks

[Nicole01]

When a chicken eats a bigger stone(bigger then sand), does it stay in the gizzard forever? Or perhaps it dissolves in time? I'm watching my chicks and they gulp down some pretty good sized stones that are in the ground. Anyone know? I've seen poo that has mostly sand, but I've never seen a full sized rock come out.

I can't imaging swallowing a rock in the first place.

 

[Wildflower_VA]

Larger stones stay in the gizzard for a long time. Grinding their food wears the stone down until it is smaller and is passed. After a chicken starts to mature, the sand and smaller grit (chick grit) goes right through and does not grind food or aid digestion. When the chickens are free ranging, they will pick the size grit they need.

 

[Nicole01]

Quote:
Thanks. I've wondered for a while. We have all sizes of stones in the run.

 

[cmom]

A chicken's food goes, as is, into the crop, where it is slowly funneled into a very small " stomach" for some digestive additives--then to the Gizzard, where it is 'chewed', that is, ground into material that can be digested as it moves into the intestines and so on... The Gizzard is best able to break down whole grains and other chunky bits that they eat when full of grit. Longest lasting grit is Granite, that lasts well. All other rock and stone is so much softer, that it wears down fast and that is why granite grit is best choice, works really well for best utilization of feeds. My baby chicks are given free choice and they choose it with pleasure, Chick grit is fine Granite, as soon as they are given anything besides Starter Crumbles. Their tiny gizzards are at optimum function at an early age.