Yes, chickens need a good source of grit because as the old timers say, "There is nothing scarcer than a chickens' teeth." The best kinds of grit is sharp, hard broken rocks. Granit is good. Little round, soft, or sandy pebbles just don't get the job done.
A 1/2 cup of grit or can of grit hung in the coop or run should serve one hen for several years. Not providing grit is being dollar foolish and penny wise. The last time I looked a 40 or 50# bag of grit was only a few cents more than a 5 pound sack of grit. Chickens usually pick and choose which pieces of grit to swallow so don't freak when you see a hen picking up grit by the mouth full out of the cup or can that you feed it in. Most of the grit will be dropped on the ground, and even then the next hen may pick up and eat the spilled grit off the ground.
I prefer to feed baby chick grit to all of my birds because then I am not worried with werther my chicks have sufficient grit.
Do affix your cup or can of grit to the inside of the run or coop in such a place and manner that it will not be flipped over and spilled by hens or roosters flying around or filled with trash or litter.
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