Question about the GIZZARD

[joebryant]

I presumed my hens and rooster could get grit from their sand in their run; however, lately I've been seeing pictures of stones found in gizzards. These stones are much larger than what's in the sand, so I presume they're finding larger ones when they're free ranging outside the run.

Once a chicken has placed a stone in its gizzard, does the stone remain there for the life of the chicken?

If I had chickens that only occasionally left the coop, how could I be sure that they had the correct sizes of stones. Would pea gravel be satisfactory? What about aquarium stones that are sold in stores.

 

[LynneP]

It depends on the chemical composition of the stone. Acidic foods like tomatoes will assist in dissolving alkaline stones made of limestone or marble, for example. Problematic are stones too big to pass through to the digestive tract. I think you would be happier proving some hen grit, and if the birds are young, strain it through a container perforated with 1/8" nail holes, like a coffee can. If a hen does swallow a big stone, you can assist her by lifting the engorged crop many times to allow feed to pass through past the stone. This buys time until you decide whether to go to a vet or try some other methods best explained by experienced owners.

Most aquarium stone is not meant for consumption and while it might be uncontaminated, some has dye in it.

 

[edb]

I guide hunts from time to time and I dress a lot of Turkey and doves. They all have stones about 1/8" Dia. in the crop(Gizzard). I just assume its about the perfect size so I smash gravel with a hammer to about that size and put it in their feeders. You will see a lot of doves graveling where cars and trucks drive on gravel and crush it.

 

[Mahonri]

They poop them out and continue eating/ingesting them.... at least that's my understanding.

 

[cmom]

The Gizzard is best able to break down whole grains and other chunky bits that the birds eat when full of grit. Longest lasting grit is Granite, that lasts well.

 

[joebryant]

Thanks, everybody, for the responses. I think I have a good understanding of the gizzard now. Glad that I asked.

 

[dlhunicorn]

Here are some articles having information that can help :
http://www.iacuc.arizona.edu/training/poultry/species.html
(see >Digestive System)

http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1317/
(Nutrition For Backyard Flocks)
"...In addition to calcium, hard insoluble granite grit should be fed. Because of the rather high acid level in the gizzard, calcium grit dissolves quickly and there is little opportunity for it to function as a grinding material. Birds frequently eat feathers and other materials and, when they consume coarse materials of this kind, hard grit in the gizzard aids in grinding it so that it can be digested and eliminated from the body. Grit is available in chick and hen size. Continuous feeding is not necessary, but grit should be available, free choice, 2 or 3 days per month. A suitable grit and oyster shell hopper for a laying flock is divided into two compartments so that both the grit and the calcium can be fed from the same hopper. For meat production birds, grit can be fed on top of the mash or grain at the rate of about one pound per 100 birds, once monthly. .."

http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/projects/poultry/Syllabus/page37_44.htm
(COMPARATIVE ANATOMY, HISTOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE CHICKEN)
"...From the proventriculus, the food moves to the gizzard, also called the ventriculus, the familiar muscular organ with a hard lining. In the gizzard the food is ground and mixed with the gastric juice. The muscular development of the gizzard is influenced primarily by diet and less by the presence of grit which helps the grinding process and increases the digestibility of certain feeds. Round grit which will not fragment is most desirable..."

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/76/impaction-and-foreign-bodies-of-gizzard
(Impaction and Foreign Bodies in Gizzaard)

 

[joebryant]

Thanks, dlhunicorn, for the great information. I've spent the morning reading.