This week, we’re discussing an important topic that new backyard chicken keepers might overlook—grit. While it’s easy to focus on food, grit plays a crucial role in keeping your chickens healthy and digesting their food properly. Let’s dive into why grit is so essential for your flock!
What is Grit and Why Do Chickens Need it?
Chickens are wonderful, but they weren’t born with teeth! When your chickens are foraging, eating treats, or snacking on larger bits of food, they can’t chew like we do. This is where grit comes in. Grit helps chickens digest larger food items by breaking them down in their gizzard, which acts like their internal grinding machine.
Without grit, chickens can’t properly digest foods like bugs, snacks or scraps. While chicken crumble or pellets don’t require grit for digestion (since they’re already formulated for easy consumption), anything else they eat does.
Types of Grit for Chickens
Grit can come in different forms, from small pebbles and rocks your chickens find outside to store-bought grit. The benefit of buying chicken grit from a farm supply store is that it’s often formulated with probiotics (good bacteria) to support gut health and digestion. It’s a double win for raising a healthy flock!
Personally, I place grit alongside oyster shells, and my chickens pick at each as needed.
When Should I Start Grit with Chicks?
In the early days of your chicks’ life, grit isn’t necessary. Instead, focus on feeding them chick crumble (I prefer non-medicated) and a supplement like First Peep . This helps get them eating and kickstart their digestive system and promotes healthy growth.
I usually sprinkle First Peep on their food daily to get them used to eating the crumble, which is specially formulated for their needs. Once your chicks reach about 2 weeks old, you can start introducing treats. This is a personal preference and their treats do not take the place of their balanced chick crumble! If I introduce some greens or a treat of some kind, I make sure to offer them chick grit. Be sure to offer them chick-sized grit (shown in the picture below) along with any treats, because regular chicken grit will be too large for them to digest!
Should I Always Offer Chicken Grit?
Yes! I always keep grit available for my flock, especially during the winter when they don’t have access to outdoor stones or pebbles. Chickens are smart—they know what they need to help with digestion, so having grit available year-round ensures they can eat it as needed.
Without grit, chickens may struggle to digest larger food items, which can lead to blockages, illness or even death. It’s a simple step that ensures your chickens stay healthy and can live a long, happy life.
Importance of Grit in Raising Healthy Chickens
Who knew that rocks could be so important? Grit may seem like a small detail, but it plays a huge role in keeping your chickens healthy. By providing them with the right tools, like grit and a balanced diet, you’re setting your flock up for success.
Until next time,
–The Wing Lady
First Peep - Chick Feed Supplement
First Peep is a non-medicated chick feed supplement that naturally supports digestive health in baby chicks the first few weeks of life.