Unlocking Digestive Health: The Essential Role of Grit in Your Chickens' Diet"

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Grit is a crucial element in a chicken's diet that supports their digestive health. Unlike humans, chickens lack teeth and cannot chew their food. Instead, they rely on a specialized part of their stomach called the gizzard to grind and break down their food. To aid this grinding process, chickens need to consume grit, which is stored in the gizzard and helps to mechanically digest food, particularly the fibrous and hard materials that make up a significant part of their diet.

What is Grit Made From?

Grit is typically composed of small, hard particles like crushed granite, small stones, or coarse sand. It’s important to note that grit is not the same as a calcium supplement like oyster shell, which is often mistakenly thought of as grit. While oyster shell provides calcium necessary for strong eggshells, it is soft and dissolves in the digestive tract, meaning it doesn’t serve the same purpose as grit. True grit remains in the gizzard, helping to grind food for effective digestion.

Is Grit Necessary for Free-Range Chickens?

For free-range chickens, grit is usually not necessary to provide because they naturally find it in their environment. As they forage, they will pick up small stones and coarse sand, which serve as natural grit. However, if your chickens are confined to a run or an area where the ground is soft or lacks these small stones, you will need to supplement their diet with commercial grit to ensure they are getting what they need for proper digestion.

Even for free-range chickens, it can be beneficial to offer grit free-choice in a separate dish. This ensures they have access to an adequate amount, especially in cases where the natural environment might not provide enough of the right size and type of grit.

The Role of Grit in Chicken Health

The gizzard is a powerful, muscular organ that relies on grit to function effectively. As chickens consume food, it passes into the gizzard where it is mixed with grit. The grinding action of the gizzard, combined with the abrasive nature of the grit, helps to break down tough food items like whole grains, seeds, and fibrous plant material, making them easier to digest and allowing the chickens to absorb nutrients more efficiently.

Without sufficient grit, food cannot be properly ground in the gizzard, leading to poor digestion and nutrient absorption. Over time, this can result in health issues like impaction, where food accumulates and blocks the digestive tract, leading to malnutrition and, in severe cases, death.

Starting Chick-Sized Grit

When raising chicks, grit should be introduced as soon as they begin eating anything other than their starter feed. Chick starter feeds are formulated to be easily digestible without the need for grit, but once treats, seeds, or grains are introduced, chick-sized grit is essential. This smaller, softer grit is appropriate for their developing digestive systems and helps them learn to properly digest a variety of foods.

Chick-sized grit should be offered free-choice in a separate dish, ensuring that the chicks can consume it as needed without it being mixed directly into their food. This practice helps their gizzards develop properly, laying the foundation for a healthy digestive system as they grow.

Providing grit is essential for maintaining the digestive health of your flock. Whether your chickens are free-range and can find their own natural grit or are confined and require supplemental grit, ensuring they have access to this critical dietary component will support their overall health. Starting chicks on chick-sized grit when they begin eating treats helps establish a healthy digestive system early on. Remember, grit is not a calcium supplement like oyster shell, but a distinct and necessary component of a chicken's diet that plays a vital role in their ability to process food and absorb nutrients effectively.

When it comes to keeping your flock healthy, grit plays a crucial role. We recommend starting your chicks on chick grit as soon as they begin eating treats. Unlike calcium supplements, which are essential only for egg-laying hens, grit is vital for all chickens as it helps with digestion by grinding food in their gizzards. Grit is typically made from insoluble materials like granite or flint, which means it doesn’t dissolve in water and lasts longer in the chicken’s digestive system, aiding in the breakdown of feed and preventing blockages. Even if your chickens are free-range, providing grit is a good idea to ensure they get the proper material for digestion. Check out the chick grit and chicken grit we use and recommend, and if your hens are laying, don’t forget to grab some calcium too—just remember, it’s not the same as grit!

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