grit and oyster shell?

[rosemarythyme]

You should provide both grit (unless your birds have access to appropriate size stones in the ground) and oyster shell (if you have laying hens).

 

[3KillerBs]

If I may interject... does one need to feed grit separately from oyster shell, or just one or the other, or both mixed or is oyster shell considered grit?

Grit and oystershell are two different things that serve 2 different purposes.

Grit is for digestion. Oystershell is for calcium.

Best to offer them separately because that way the chickens can easily choose what they want to have.

Note: Sometimes you can get "calcium grit" -- which more or less looks like crushed limestone. It's a calcium supplement, not a digestive aid.

 

[arion]

One can sprinkle the grit and the oyster shell right on the bedding and it encourages the hens to scratch around for it like they do for their scratch and other treats. Works for me and they like digging around for their treats.

 

[Happy Novogens]

Grit and oystershell are two different things that serve 2 different purposes.

Grit is for digestion. Oystershell is for calcium.

Best to offer them separately because that way the chickens can easily choose what they want to have.

Note: Sometimes you can get "calcium grit" -- which more or less looks like crushed limestone. It's a calcium supplement, not a digestive aid.

I found this bag. 2nd photo shows what it looks like (in 5 gal bucket). Is this both calcium and grit? I'm guessing it's the calcium supplement you mention.

 

[aart]

I found this bag. 2nd photo shows what it looks like (in 5 gal bucket). Is this both calcium and grit? I'm guessing it's the calcium supplement you mention.

That's looks to be crushed oyster shell....yes, for calcium supplement.
'Grit' is crushed granite, used for digestion in the gizzard.

 

[3KillerBs]

One can sprinkle the grit and the oyster shell right on the bedding and it encourages the hens to scratch around for it like they do for their scratch and other treats. Works for me and they like digging around for their treats.

I consider that wasteful. It makes it harder for the chickens to regulate how much of each they're using.

I found this bag. 2nd photo shows what it looks like (in 5 gal bucket). Is this both calcium and grit? I'm guessing it's the calcium supplement you mention.

That's calcium. Oystershell, most likely.

Grit is crushed granite.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I found this bag. 2nd photo shows what it looks like (in 5 gal bucket). Is this both calcium and grit? I'm guessing it's the calcium supplement you mention.

This is strictly for calcium (probably shells and other calcium rich materials that are ground down and processed into chunks).

It's not suitable as a digestive grit because it's soluble, whereas granite grit is far harder and insoluble, so it can last in their system for a few months.