What Is Grit for Chickens and Why It's So Important

What is grit for chickens? Discover why your flock needs it, the types to use, and how to provide it easily.

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When I started raising chickens, I didn’t realize how important grit was. My flock free-ranged, so they always had access to natural grit, like small rocks in the dirt.

But when I stopped letting them roam freely, I forgot to provide supplemental grit. That’s when one of my hens developed an impacted crop—a painful condition from undigested food getting stuck through her system.

Luckily, she recovered after some TLC, but I learned my lesson the hard way. Grit, aka poultry grit, is more than just a “nice-to-have”—it’s essential for their health.

Today, I’ll share what I’ve learned about why grit is so crucial for chickens, how it works, and how to keep your flock well-supplied. Let’s get into it!

What Is Grit and Why Is It So Important?

Grit is like nature’s food processor for chickens. Made up of tiny, hard particles—like crushed granite, flint, or quartzite—grit is something chickens swallow along with their food to help digestion.

Since chickens don’t have teeth, they rely on grit to do the heavy lifting when breaking down their meals. Once eaten, it moves to the gizzard, where it contracts and churns to grind food into smaller, digestible bits.

Without grit, their gizzard can’t do its job, and food just sits undigested, which can lead to discomfort, malnutrition, and issues like an impacted or sour crop.

Types of Poultry Grit

There are two main types of grit that chickens need, and each one does something different: insoluble and soluble.

1. Insoluble Grit

This is the hard stuff—granite, flint, or quartzite. It doesn’t dissolve and stays in the gizzard, churning away until it wears down. Perfect for breaking apart tough foods like whole grains and seeds.

2. Soluble Grit

This includes crushed oyster shells or similar calcium sources. It dissolves during digestion and helps laying hens produce strong egg shells. But don’t confuse it with insoluble grit—it’s not for grinding food.

How to Feed Grit to Chickens

Chickens usually find their own grit—tiny rocks, coarse dirt, whatever they scratch up while foraging. But what happens when winter rolls in, and the ground freezes solid? Or when your soil lacks enough rocks? You’ll need to buy poultry grit at a local feed store or order it online here.

Offer free-choice grit in a small dish or feeder in their coop or run. Chickens are surprisingly intuitive; they’ll help themselves when they need it.

My flock scratches up plenty of natural grit from our sandy soil throughout the summer and fall. But come winter, I provide store-bought grit, free choice. I also make sure they have oyster shells or crushed eggshells for the extra calcium.

grit and crushed eggshells in containers

Recognizing Digestive Issues

If chickens don’t have enough grit, their digestive system can run into trouble quickly. Two common crop problems are sour crop and impacted crop, both of which can cause significant discomfort and health issues if not addressed.

Here’s what to watch for:

Swollen crop: The crop should feel full after eating but empty overnight. If it remains swollen and feels squishy or hard, there’s likely an issue.
Foul smell from the beak: Sour crop often produces a sour or yeasty odor due to food fermenting in the crop.
Lethargy or lack of appetite: Chickens with digestive issues may seem sluggish or uninterested in food.

When one of my hens developed an impacted crop, I brought her inside and set her up in a crate where I could monitor her.

I gave her water with a splash of apple cider vinegar to help balance her gut and fed her scrambled eggs and a bit of yogurt for easy-to-digest nourishment. With some gentle crop massages and patience, she thankfully recovered.

Common Myths About Grit

There are a few misconceptions about grit that can trip up even experienced chicken keepers. Let’s clear up some of the big ones:

Myth: Sand works as grit.

It doesn’t. Sand is far too fine to stay in the gizzard and grind food effectively. While it might pass through the digestive system, it won’t help with breaking down tough foods like grains or seeds. Stick with insoluble grit like crushed granite or flint.

Myth: Chickens don’t need grit if they eat commercial feed.

While chickens eating crumbles or pellets don’t technically need grit to digest those, many flocks eat more than just commercial feed.

Treats, whole grains, forage, and even kitchen scraps all require grit to break down. It’s always a good idea to offer grit free-choice.

Myth: Oyster shells can replace grit.

Nope. Oyster shell grit dissolves in the digestive system to provide calcium but doesn’t help grind food. Your flock needs both oyster shells (soluble grit) and insoluble grit, especially if you have laying hens.

Grit Essentials for Your Flock

Here’s a quick rundown to keep your chickens happy and healthy:

Offer grit free-choice in a small dish.
Provide insoluble grit (granite, flint) and soluble grit (oyster shells) for layers.
Provide insoluble grit (granite, flint) only for meat birds.
Check for natural grit availability if your chickens free-range.
Adjust grit supply in winter or during confinement.
Watch for signs of digestive trouble, like sour or impacted crop.

FAQs About Grit

How Much Grit Do Chickens Need?

Chickens don’t gorge on grit—they eat only what their gizzards require. That’s why free-choice grit is the best approach. Keep a dish filled, and let them peck at their own pace.

Do Chicks Need Grit?

Baby chicks eating only chick starter don’t need grit—it’s soft enough to digest on its own. But start giving them treats, snacks, or outdoor foraging time, and they’ll need chick grit to handle it.

You can pick up commercial chick grit at the feed store, order online here, or add a clump of grass with dirt still attached to their brooder.

As your chicks grow, switch to grower grit around three weeks of age. By the time they’re ready to lay, they’ll graduate to the coarse grit their adult chickens use.

Do chickens need grit if they’re free range?

Mostly, no—if your soil has rocks, your free-range chickens will find their own grit. But if your soil is sandy or during winter, you’ll need to provide supplemental grit.

Do Meat Birds Need Grit?

Yes, meat birds need insoluble grit like granite grit or flint grit to help break down food in their gizzard, especially if they eat forage or treats. They don’t need soluble grit like oyster shells since they’re not laying eggs, and too much calcium can cause kidney damage. Give them free access to insoluble grit, and they’ll take what they need.

Can You Make Your Own Grit?

Yes, you can absolutely DIY your chicken grit if you have access to clean small pebbles or little rocks. Look for sharp-edged stones that are small enough for your flock’s size—smaller for chicks, larger for adult birds.

Can chickens overeat grit?

Not really—chickens are great at self-regulating. But young chicks might overdo it out of curiosity, so limit their access unless they eat treats or forage.

Do eggshells work as grit for chickens?

Nope. Eggshells dissolve in the digestive system, just like oyster shells, so they don’t help grind food. But they’re a great source of calcium for laying hens.

I crush leftover eggshells from the kitchen and offer them alongside grit and oyster shells—it’s an easy way to recycle and keep your hens’ eggshells strong.

How much grit do chickens need daily?

Not much at all—just a few small pieces of grit per day, depending on their diet. Chickens eating tough foods like whole grains or seeds will naturally consume more grit than those eating soft feeds like crumbles. Keep a dish of grit available, and your flock will help themselves to just the right amount.

Can I mix grit with chicken food?

You could, but it’s not the best idea. Chickens are pretty good at knowing how much grit they need, so offering it free-choice in a separate dish works better. Mixing it with feed can lead to waste if the grit gets left behind or spilled out. Let them pick what they need on their own.