Grit

[Mak]

I put grit out for them, but they don't always take it. I just add more when the can is empty, same as the eggshells. Haven't really kept track, but I bet they take more now. And they do eat some of the sand in their dust bath. I figure since they have both, they will take what they need.

 

[Miss Lydia]

......

 

[kjfrogster41]

I know grit and chickens has been explained and explored beyond belief but really do I have time to back track through thousands of replies?
Any rate, my girls live in Maine so winter means the ground, when available, is too frozen and no grit is readily available. I have taken to going down to our bay (Penobscot) where a lovely pebbly beach with lots of ground up shell is very easy to harvest.

However, being a new chicken Mom, I am not sure how often the girls need to have grit. If I came in with a new batch every day, they would happily scarf it up. How much is too much? They are eating just fine and pooping and laying (every day).

Thanks for some updated advice.

 

[Terrik]

Do the chickens get enough grit or big enough grit by free ranging and scratching around? Our ground isn't hard, just wet.

 

[AlienChick]

Ours get enough grit free ranging, but I also have breeding pens that I include a small hamster-sized ceramic cup with grit mixed with oyster shell. They only eat it when they feel the need. We have gravel driveways and walkways, so the free range chickens enjoy scratching through that and eating up the grit pieces that suit their needs.

 

[kjfrogster41]

My 3 girls are eating more like a dog size bowl of grit every other day. I've started adding crushed shell, oyster and mussel, to the grit.

Just seems like they are a bit obsessed with the grit eating.

They are eating their layer mash and treats just fine.

They lay one egg each every day too.

 

[duckinnut]

I hope everyone knows there is a difference between grit and oyster shell. Seems that some here confuse the two.

 

[Rich Marshall]

What is the difference?

 

[duckinnut]

The difference between grit and oyster shell is that oyster shell is consumed for the calcium content to be used in production of eggshells. Grit is small stones and large grains of sand that is either provided by humans or gathered by free ranging chickens to aide in digestion or more precisely held in the gizzard or ventriculus to help grind up or crush food before it enters the stomach. Grit is a necessary component of their diet and will develop problems with lack there of unless they are fed only layer mash. While calcium is an important part of shell development and a good layer feed will provide enough for most birds,sometimes people will give added oyster shell or egg shell free choice if some birds require more. They are mutually exclusive and not the same.

 

[Chris09]

The difference between grit and oyster shell is that oyster shell is consumed for the calcium content to be used in production of eggshells. Grit is small stones and large grains of sand that is either provided by humans or gathered by free ranging chickens to aide in digestion or more precisely held in the gizzard or ventriculus to help grind up or crush food before it enters the stomach. Grit is a necessary component of their diet and will develop problems with lack there of unless they are fed only layer mash. While calcium is an important part of shell development and a good layer feed will provide enough for most birds,sometimes people will give added oyster shell or egg shell free choice if some birds require more. They are mutually exclusive and not the same.

In some cases this true but a lot depends on who you talk to and what they raise as far as poultry.

It most parts of the world grit is broke down into two types, one is hard or soluble grit grit and the other is soft or soluble grit.
Hard or insoluble grit is small pieces of stone and does most of the food grinding, soft or soluble grit is are shells (oyster, clam, etc.) and limestone there are used primarily as a calcium sores but they still help grind some of there food.

Chris