[kellym]

hello just a quick question.

i was in the pet shop they other day buying a grit/ corn block for my girls and noticed they also sell bags of poultry grit. the feed i have is layers crumb with added oyster shell, so i was wondering if i needed to have this extra grit on hand for them also??? i have never had any problems with soft shells or anything but just recently they have started munching on the grit block like its running out of fashion  all advice welcome thanks in advance 

[Lindeggs]

I just got my pullets the other day and I have been amazed how many little stones they eat when they are out in their run.  It has taught me never to underestimate how much grit they need in their diet!

There are, of course two kinds of grit - shell grit (for added calcium) and hard grit (because hens don't have teeth!)  What kind of grit is in the grit/corn block? 

The 'received wisdom' is to give them free access to both kinds, and they can just take as much of it as they need.

[Casey76]

Hi kelly, as lindegs says you need two kinds of grit.

The oystershell in the crumbs is to help with the hard shells (though personally I don't believe in giving it mixed in the food), and they also need a hard grit which help grind up the food in the gizzard.

If you have both (shell and grit) available separately in little pots, your hens will help themselves as they need it

[PLecostrum]

I've heard of shell oyster grit. For egg making but what's hard grit??  Not seen 2 types?

[Lindeggs]

Hard grit is just the little stones the chickens swallow into their crop (the pouch where the food goes first before getting digested).  That's what grinds the food.  It's the chicken equivalent of chewing. 

If your chickens are free-ranging they will probably pick up plenty of little stones from the ground.  But if they are kept penned and only have soft litter underfoot, and/or on a concrete or wooden floor, you will need to provide hard grit for them.

When I first got my chickens I kept them confined to their coop for the first day, and noticed them picking the biggest bits of rock out of the sand in their coop.  When they were allowed out on the second day, they swallowed pieces of scoria up to about 2mm in diameter. 

[kellym]

thanks for the replies i shall go out and buy both grits at the weekend i think. they do frfee range when im here other than that they are in a big coop on soil do just dig around in that but to make sure i will just give them the choice