Sophie Bennett
Chickens need grit, or small bits of gravel, in their diet to aid digestion. Since chickens do not have teeth, they swallow food whole or in bite-sized pieces, and grit helps to break down food in their crop and gizzard. While some sources suggest that chicks do not need grit until they are old enough to leave the brooder and join the coop, others suggest introducing grit to chicks as early as 6 days old. However, it is generally recommended to start feeding grit to chicks when they are around 2 weeks old and begin eating treats or larger bits of food.
What You'll Learn
Chicks can start eating grit when they are 6 days old
Chickens require grit, or gravel, in their diet to aid digestion. Unlike humans, chickens do not have teeth, so they need to swallow small stones or pieces of gravel to help break down their food in their gizzard. Without grit, chickens can struggle to digest larger food items, such as bugs, snacks, or scraps.
It is important to ensure that the grit provided is specifically formulated for chicks and does not contain calcium. Calcium-fortified grit, such as those designed for parakeets, should be avoided. Instead, sources like crushed oyster shells or eggshells can be offered as a calcium supplement for laying hens.
Chicks that are only consuming chick starter or grower feed do not require grit. However, once they start eating treats or other types of food, grit becomes necessary to support proper digestion. Free-range chicks may naturally source grit from their environment, such as small pebbles and coarse dirt during foraging. In contrast, confined chicks or those raised on pasture may benefit from supplemental grit.
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Chicks should only eat chick-sized grit
Chickens need grit in their diet to stay healthy. Grit is made up of small bits of coarse stone or gravel that aid in digestion. Since chickens do not have teeth, they swallow their food whole or in bite-sized pieces, and grit helps to break down the food in their crop and gizzard, allowing them to absorb the necessary nutrients. While chicken crumble or pellets are formulated for easy consumption and do not require grit, any other types of food such as scraps, grains, or treats will need grit to be properly digested.
It is beneficial to mix small amounts of grit into their feed to introduce them to it and ensure they get tiny amounts. Chicks may overeat on grit, leading to compacted crops, so it is important to monitor their consumption. If you notice your chicks eating a lot of grit, you can take away free access and offer a small amount each day.
As your chicks mature into adult chickens, you can transition them to adult chicken grit, which comes in varying sizes of small stones and pebbles. Granite grit is the most effective for adult chickens as it wears down very slowly in the gizzard. It is important to note that chickens should not be fed sand as grit, as the particles are too fine. Additionally, while crushed oyster shells are a good source of calcium for laying hens, they should not be the sole source of grit as they do not aid in prolonged digestion.
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Free-range chickens may not need supplemental grit
Chickens need grit in their diet to aid digestion. Since chickens do not have teeth, they rely on grit to break down food in their crop and gizzard, which then allows them to absorb the necessary nutrients. While chicken crumble or pellets do not require grit for digestion, anything else they eat does.
Free-range chickens can naturally source grit from their environment. They can forage for small pebbles and coarse dirt when they are out in the open. Therefore, they may not need supplemental grit. However, confined chickens or chickens raised on pasture benefit from having constant access to supplemental grit.
Supplemental grit can come in the form of small pieces of coarse granite or flint. This type of grit is insoluble and does not dissolve in the digestive system. However, it eventually wears down and needs to be replaced.
Soluble grit, such as oyster shells, can be dissolved during digestion and is not a long-lasting source of grit. Oyster shells are a good source of calcium for laying hens, which helps to make strong eggshells and keep their bones healthy. However, they should not be supplied as the sole source of grit for a flock.
Chicks do not need grit or gravel until they are being fed food other than their chick starter/grower feed. Once they start having treats, chick-sized grit should be sprinkled onto their food.
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Chickens need grit to break down food in their gizzard
Chickens, unlike humans, do not have teeth. As a result, they need grit to break down their food for digestion. Grit is essentially small bits of coarse stone or gravel that chickens consume to aid digestion. It is also known as poultry grit. Chickens swallow their food whole or in bite-sized pieces, and since they do not have teeth, the food needs to be broken down within their digestive system.
Grit is stored in the chicken's crop and gizzard, which take over the role of breaking down tough foods. The crop is like a temporary holding place for food before it is sent through the digestive system. Small pieces of grit remain in the crop to help start the process of breaking down food before it enters the stomach. Once in the stomach, enzymes are added to the food to aid in breaking it down and allowing nutrients to be absorbed. The food then passes into the gizzard, which is the second muscular part of the stomach. The gizzard is an extremely tough, rubber-like bag that is flexible enough to accommodate large foods but also strong enough to churn and digest the food.
Grit cannot be broken down by the natural churning of the gizzard muscles. Instead, it remains in the gizzard to help break down other foods for further digestion. The gizzard is the only gastrointestinal organ for mechanical processing in birds. The gizzard's strong muscles crush food, but they are not enough to break it down completely. Therefore, grit is necessary for chickens. They store grit in the gizzard until it is needed. Once the food is broken down, the nutrients are extracted in the next digestive step.
Free-range chickens will naturally forage for their own grit from their surroundings, such as small pebbles and coarse dirt. Confined chickens or chickens raised on pasture benefit from having constant access to supplemental grit. Chickens need grit in their diet to stay healthy and digest their food properly. Chick grit is smaller than regular chicken grit and should be provided to chicks along with any treats.
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Chickens can accidentally overconsume grit
Chickens require grit in their diet to aid digestion. Since they do not have teeth, they need grit to break down their food in the gizzard, which acts as their internal grinding machine. Chickens can naturally source grit from their environment, with free-range flocks foraging for small pebbles and coarse dirt. However, confined chickens or those raised on pasture may require supplemental grit.
Chickens should be introduced to treats when they are around two weeks old. At this point, it is recommended to offer them chick-sized grit, as regular chicken grit may be too large for them to digest. Chick grit is ground into smaller pieces than regular chicken grit.
While grit is essential for chicken health, it is possible for chickens to accidentally overconsume it. This can occur when treats or snacks are placed on the ground, where dirt and gravel can stick to the food. Overconsumption of fine grit particles, such as sand or fine gravel, can lead to crop impaction. Therefore, it is recommended to offer treats in a grassy area or in bowls or troughs to prevent accidental grit ingestion.
To ensure the health of your flock, it is important to provide the appropriate type and size of grit. The three most effective grit types for adult chickens are granite grit, flint grit, and coarse gravel. Other types of grit, such as sand, crushed oyster shells, and crushed eggshells, are not as effective for digestion and should be used primarily as calcium supplements for laying hens.
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Frequently asked questions
Chicks should be given gravel or grit when they are old enough to be taken from the brooder and added to the coop. Chicks need grit when they are being fed food other than their chick starter/grower feed. This is usually when they are around 2 weeks old and ready to start having treats.
Grit is small bits of coarse stone or gravel that chickens eat to aid digestion. Chickens don't have teeth, so they swallow small stones or grit to help break down their food in their gizzard.
Chicks require smaller grit than adult chickens. You can buy chick grit from farm supply stores, which is often formulated with probiotics to support gut health. You can also use dirt or clay soil from outside, as long as it is clean.
You should give chicks small amounts of grit by sprinkling it onto their food. Chicks may overeat on grit, causing compacted crops, so monitor their intake and adjust accordingly.
