Unless that is, they’re able to get a grit substitute from foraging and picking up small stones and other debris that works as grit. Otherwise, you’ll need to provide some grit. If they are only eating a commercial feed, check if it states that grit is not required to digest it. Their reasoning is that a little grit will only do good, especially if they need it. I know some owners that provide a little grit anyway, even though their chicks are only eating a feed. So, additional grit as a supplement is only usually required if and when you start giving them foods to eat other than their feed. It’s worth checking the packaging carefully to find out for sure. The reason I say this is because chick feeds are typically formulated to be either easy to digest, or they have grit included. If your chicks are eating anything other than a commercial feed, you’ll likely need to provide some grit.
For me, it comes down to a few basic rules: I see the topic of whether or not chicks and chickens need grit commonly discussed. It’s here where grit is used to help break up the food into smaller pieces. The gizzard is basically a strong muscle that contracts. When the food leaves the crop, it travels into their stomach called the gizzard, where it mixes with digestive enzymes and is physically ground up or “chewed” into pieces. This enables birds to eat a lot of food, typically throughout the day, then move it on for digesting overnight. They peck at food to break it up a little, then swallow it whole.įood first gets stored in an area called a crop. In essence, chicks and chickens need grit in their diet to help them digest their food.Ĭhickens do not have teeth, so they cannot chew up food before swallowing it. Understanding why chicks need grit will help you better understand if you need to provide them with grit, and which type of grit is best. Most backyard chicken or new chick owners are aware that chickens need grit in their diet, but not many people know exactly why. What Happens If Chickens Don't Have Access to Grit?.
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