The best grit for chickens is vital for your birds’ digestive system to work well. Adding grit to poultry feed helps food to grind down in the gizzard and keeps your chickens happy. If you keep chickens in a coop or fenced enclosure, it’s advisable to add grit to their diet to ensure the birds get enough to aid healthy digestion.
Various types of grit are available to supplement the diet of backyard chickens. For laying chickens, the grit should contain calcium that aid in egg production. However, for non-laying chickens, crushed granite or sand is ideal because they don’t need calcium supplements. Chickens—including free-range ones—consuming grains, grass, and weeds need grit in their diet.
Best 5 Grit for Chickens
Finding the best type of grit to supplement your chickens’ diet can be challenging. There are many different types of chicken grit to choose from. To help you make an informed decision, this review describes each kind of grit to help you choose which type of chicken grit to buy.
1.Manna Pro Chick Grit with Probiotics
Manna Pro chick grit is specially formulated with probiotics to encourage healthy digestion. The natural grit supplement contains no artificial ingredients or preservatives. This chicken grit is suitable for chickens two weeks or older. The grit bits are just the right size to aid digestion and keep your birds happy.
The fine grit is ideal for young birds to aid digestion. Some users say that older birds should use a coarser type of chicken grit.
Pros:
- Probiotics are excellent to promote good digestion
- No artificial ingredients
- Suitable baby chicks
Cons:
- Not the best type of grit for older chickens
2. Scratch and Peck Feeds – Cluckin’ Good Grit Supplement for Chickens and Ducks
Scratch and Peck chicken grit is made from insoluble crushed quartzite and granite. The grit is suitable for older birds, including ducks and chickens. The grit helps digestion in the bird’s gizzard. It allows chickens to absorb the maximum amount of nutrients from chicken feed.
Scratch and Peck’s grit supplement is an excellent choice because it’s certified organic and doesn’t contain GMO ingredients. Scratch and Peck also produces excellent chicken grit for smaller chicks, growers, and layers.
Pros:
- Organically-sourced quartzite and granite
- Ideal supplement for grain-feed chickens
- Suitable for chicken 20 weeks old
- Ideal for roosters and non-layers
Cons:
- Some users say the grit is too large for some species of chickens
3. Manna Pro Poultry Grit
Manna Pro poultry grit is made from insoluble crushed granite and suitable for all ages of chickens. The grit is an ideal supplement for free-range chickens or backyard chickens in a coop. This insoluble grit is perfect for chicks, bantam breeds, and ducklings. The poultry grit formula is also calcium-free, so you can use it to supplement all types of chickens’ diets.
We liked Manna Pro poultry grit because it consistently gets excellent user reviews. If you have layers, you will need to supplement their diet with calcium, as this grit is a calcium-free type.
Pros:
- The large 25 lb. bag is excellent value for money
- Suitable for all classes of poultry
- No artificial flavors or preservatives
Cons:
- No calcium, so you need to supplement the diet of laying chickens
4. Little Farmer Products Premium Chicken Grit
Little Farmer chicken grit is a premium type of chicken grit that promotes excellent digestion. The formula contains granite, food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE), Redmond clay, and limestone. This grit supplement only contains high-quality ingredients that help boost egg production.
The added ingredients in this chicken grit help keep chickens free from mites, lice, and parasites. Studies have shown that adding clay to chicken feed reduces harmful gut bacteria in chickens. This reduces the need for antibiotics and helps keep chickens healthier.
Pros:
- One of the best types of chicken grit
- DE and clay promote intestinal health
- Suitable of all kinds of chickens and other poultry birds
- Has some of the best online reviews
Cons:
- More expensive than other brands
5. Purina Land O’Lakes Chicken Grit Supplement
Purina is a brand leader when it comes to chicken feed and grit supplements. This poultry grit is made from crushed granite to support healthy digestion. You can add the chicken grit to chicken feed or put it in a separate feeder. The chickens will only ever peck as much as they require.
Purina poultry feed doesn’t contain any additional ingredients. One thing to remember that this is only a 5 lb. bag and is the most expensive chicken grit on our review.
Pros:
- Premium grit from a brand leader
- Suitable for all types of poultry as well as non-layers
- Encourages healthy digestion and regular egg laying
Cons:
- Expensive
Frequently asked Questions
What is chicken grit, and what is in it?
Chicken grit is crushed stones that promotes healthy digestion in birds. As with all birds, chickens don’t have teeth. This means that they consume chicken feed and grains without chewing their food. The tiny bits of stone grind up feed as the gizzard’s muscles contract.
Why is it important to give your chickens grit?
Grit is essential in a chicken’s diet. Without grit, chickens would suffer from discomfort, digestive problems, low nutrient absorption, and even death. Backyard chickens don’t always have access to grit in their coop or chicken run. So, giving your chickens grit is one way to keep them healthy.
How to give my chickens grits?
There are two ways to give your chickens grit. First, you can add grit to their feed, and they will consume it along with grains and chicken feed. Secondly, you can use a separate feeder for giving chickens grit. They will peck as much as they need.
Can chickens eat too much grit?
No, it’s impossible to give chickens too much grit supplements. To care for chickens properly, give them free access to grit. The birds will then take what they need to digest food. A seven-pound bag of grit should be enough to last a small flock of chickens for up to 12 months.
How often do I feed my chickens grit?
Chickens need constant access to grit to keep their digestion healthy. So, you should regularly check their feed and ensure they’ve always got an adequate supply of good quality chicken grit.
Do you mix grit with chicken feed?
Mixing grit with chicken feed is one way to ensure they get enough in their diet. However, most chicken owners use a separate grit feeder for their brood. Or, you can scatter grit on the ground for your chickens to peck as they need.
At what age do I start giving my chickens grit?
Chickens need grit from about two weeks old. Ensure that the kind of grit you give baby chickens is “chick grit.” This is finely-crushed gravel that is suitable for chicks. After chickens are about eight weeks old, you can switch to regular chicken grit to help keep their digestive system working correctly.
