Is oyster shell the same as grit? I am confused?

[mmtillman]

OK..I feed my 8 month old chickens egg pellets, corn scratch, table scraps, veggies, etc......
I supplement with oyster shell.
The egg pellets are supposed to have all the calcium they need , according to the guy at the feed store. Is the oyster shell all the grit they need?? Is oyster shell considered grit?
Seems to me it would be too water soluble to serve as grit.
My girls have been laying great ....I am so proud of them...their egg shells are so strong you have to beat the eggs to break them!
I just wanna be sure they are able to digest their food ok.....

Any advice is very much welcome! Thanks in advance !!!

 

[Marbleheader]

They're two different things, although I'm wondering whether oyster shells could be used for grit.

Oyster shells are for calcium, so the layers lay eggs with hard shells

Grit is to help them digest food.

They may need both, or they mayneed neither depending on their feed and whether they free range. If yours are eating just the layer crumbles/pellets and not free ranging, they should be ok without either.

 

[Katy]

No oyster shell is not the same as grit. Grit is tiny rocks that they eat and go into a chicken's crop and grinds up the food they eat. If they free range or have access to the ground they generally find all the grit they need.

 

[Imp]

No, oyster shell is supplemental calcium.
Grit is small stones that chickens keep in their crops to grind up their food.
If your chickens have accesss to bare ground that is rocky they will get grit from that. If not you may want to buy grit for them.

Imp

 

[sjh]

Grit is not used in the crop. It is used in the gizzard. Think of the crop as a kitchen cupboard. It holds the food for latter use.

 

[swheat]

Most feed supply stores carry Oyster Shell and Grit. My feed store carries Pigeon grit(which is what I use) the white & red, the grit also is enriched with minerals.

 

[mmtillman]

Thanks everyone for the fast replies!

My birds dont free range so I probally will just get the grit along with the oyster shell and offer both ....You guys are such a big help !! Thanks again !

 

[Imp]

Quote:
Hey thanks sjh,
I know that, but for some reason it never comes out right. It's one of many brain misfires.

Imp