What is grit

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

I have been feeding my chickens all flock 17% protein pellets with some scratch that is just ground corn and tiny red seeds, so what is grit. I know it’s rocks so are they good if they have some mulch and multi purpose sand as a run bedding

 

[rosemarythyme]

Birds use grit to help break down food as they lack teeth and can't chew.

Mulch is wood. Sand is not large enough unless you have some pieces sized as noted below, and the pieces are made of a hard rock like granite (instead of a soft stone like sandstone).

 

[AGeese]

Shouldn't hurt for the run, you can still give them grit in trays or cups anywhere.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Grit are small things like sand, dirt and pebbles that chickens consume to help break down their food because of their absence of teeth or anything else in their mouth that would break down food. I personally do not feed my chickens grit, because as long as they have any of the three grit examples above, there is no reason for it.

 

[TooCheep]

Pellets are designed to break down in water, so they don't need the grit for that. Anything else requires grit to help break down- bugs, seeds, vegetable matter, etc.

If your chickens free range, then they very likely can get their own grit. Mine free range, but I offer them commercial grit (crushed granite) and they do use it. I consider it cheap insurance that they get proper nutrition.

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

Pellets are designed to break down in water, so they don't need the grit for that. Anything else requires grit to help break down- bugs, seeds, vegetable matter, etc.

If your chickens free range, then they very likely can get their own grit. Mine free range, but I offer them commercial grit (crushed granite) and they do use it. I consider it cheap insurance that they get proper nutrition.

What if I live in a very rocky place and the sand I use is like the middle picture

 

[AGeese]

I have a gravel drive, plus free range so I really don't need grit either, but I still toss some granite grit out occasionally. Sometimes I get pea gravel to fill holes so they've got all kinds. I brood with play sand, and have only ever used the layer sized grit.

Play sand can be hard on your respiratory if in an enclosure due to the silica the chickens kick up, so you might go for washed river sand if you have access to it.

 

[TooCheep]

What if I live in a very rocky place and the sand I use is like the middle picture

You don't necessarily need crushed granite, like commercial grit, but it should be some type of hard stones. The grit is held in the gizzard that crushes the food and grit together (like our teeth crushing food) as part of the digestive process. I'm sure the sizes in the picture above are the preferred sized for different ages, but if there is naturally mixed-size grit available, they'll be fine.

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

I have a gravel drive, plus free range so I really don't need grit either, but I still toss some granite grit out occasionally. Sometimes I get pea gravel to fill holes so they've got all kinds. I brood with play sand, and have only ever used the layer sized grit.

Play sand can be hard on your respiratory if in an enclosure due to the silica the chickens kick up, so you might go for washed river sand if you have access to it.

I don’t use play sand it has much bigger rocks it is multi purpose and it has some rocks as big as layer grit and others like the chick but most is in the middle

 

[K0k0shka]

Grit is cheap and a bag will last you a VERY long time. I don't see a reason to argue against it when it's just so easy to get them a bag. You can even order it on Amazon if you don't have a feed store nearby.