What is Grit and why do you need it? Do I need it?

[Ridgerunner]

When I saw that comment about the grit in chicken feed, I sent Purina an email asking them about it. This is my E-mail.

Does Purina Chicken Feed contain Grit? I know if it is all you feed you do not have to feed grit, but does your chicken feed actually have grit in it?

Here is Purina's response.

No, it does not contain grit. There is no need for grit in a pelleted diet, only if they are eating whole grains.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Grit works like teeth for chickens. If your chickens are only eating commerically prepared pellets or crumbles, their saliva will break down the food without grit but if your birds eat whole grains and don't have access to an outside area (sand, pebbles, stones, etc.), they will need grit (i.e. teeth) to help them break down their food.

 

[Ole rooster]

I have a real off the wall question along this line. Does the grit the chickens eat in the field come out with the poo or is it stuck inside? Maybe they eat rocks once and they're good for life.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The rocks they eat stay in the gizzard until they get ground down to sand fine enough to pass on through their system. Remember the rocks are grinding against each other too.

How fast they grind down depends on the rock's makeup and how hard it is. A soft rock will be ground up pretty fast. Sandstone won't last real long either, just break up. Sandstone is pretty much what mine get. Limestone will slowly dissolve since the chicken's digestive juices are acidic. They do get extra calcium from limestone by the way, and it does last long enough to do some good. Good granite grit may last as long as a month from what I've read.

When they need more, they eat more.

 

[chi-rn]

Quote:
I'm not sure you can make such a blanket statement. In fact, I know you cannot. The commercial food that I use does NOT have grit in it. If it did, I'd switch to one that didn't. There is NO WAY I'm paying 'food' price for rocks. If you feel you need to supply grit, then buy some. It will be way way cheaper than trying to get it in your 'commercial food'.

My apologies. I've read this various places (example: http://www.small-farm-permaculture-and-sustainable-living.com/what_do_chickens_eat.html) & the book Raising Chickens for Dummies says if you feed commercial feed you do not need additional grit (which, it seems to me anyway, implies some grit is already there). It was not my intention to mislead. Wow, it can be vicious out here.... I'll bow out.

 

[wanttobefarmer]

Quote:
I'm not sure you can make such a blanket statement. In fact, I know you cannot. The commercial food that I use does NOT have grit in it. If it did, I'd switch to one that didn't. There is NO WAY I'm paying 'food' price for rocks. If you feel you need to supply grit, then buy some. It will be way way cheaper than trying to get it in your 'commercial food'.

My apologies. I've read this various places (example: http://www.small-farm-permaculture-and-sustainable-living.com/what_do_chickens_eat.html) & the book Raising Chickens for Dummies says if you feed commercial feed you do not need additional grit (which, it seems to me anyway, implies some grit is already there). It was not my intention to mislead. Wow, it can be vicious out here.... I'll bow out.

It's ok we all make mistakes. I just made 10. Someone will always correct you, probably a little more gently, but the truth on here comes out. That's why it's so great here.

 

[real_redhead]

Commercial feed - I asked this question yesterday at TSC...I buy Dunmor or Dumor pellets (not sure of spelling) and it looks like small pieces of gravel in the pellet. the guy at TSC thought that there wasn't any grit in any of the feed.