Product Description
Essential Digestive Aid for Adult Chickens and Poultry
Keep your adult flock's digestive system running smoothly with Manna Pro Poultry Grit! This regular-sized insoluble grit is specifically formulated for adult chickens, turkeys, and other mature poultry, featuring properly sized granite particles that act as "teeth" in the gizzard. Essential for grinding and breaking down whole grains, seeds, and fibrous materials, poultry grit ensures your birds can fully digest their food and absorb maximum nutrition from their diet.
Why Adult Birds Need Grit:
Birds don't have teeth to chew their food, so they rely on grit—small, hard particles stored in the gizzard—to mechanically grind and pulverize food. This is especially critical for birds that consume whole grains, scratch feed, seeds, or any food beyond processed pellets or crumbles. Without adequate grit, chickens can't properly break down tough food particles, leading to poor digestion, reduced nutrient absorption, and potential crop impaction. Manna Pro Poultry Grit provides the perfect solution.
Key Benefits:
- Regular Size for Adult Birds: Appropriately sized particles for mature poultry
- Aids Complete Digestion: Grinds food in the gizzard for optimal nutrient absorption
- Prevents Digestive Issues: Helps prevent crop impaction and digestive problems
- Natural Granite: Insoluble, hard, and long-lasting in the gizzard
- Free-Choice Format: Birds consume what they need, when they need it
- 5 lb Value Size: Long-lasting supply for small to medium flocks
- Trusted Quality: From Manna Pro, over 100 years of poultry expertise
- All-Natural: Pure granite with no additives or fillers
How Grit Works:
When chickens eat, food moves from the crop to the gizzard, a powerful muscular organ that contracts rhythmically. Grit stored in the gizzard acts like grinding stones in a mill, crushing and pulverizing food particles as the gizzard muscles work. This mechanical digestion is essential for breaking down whole grains, seed hulls, fibrous plants, and other tough materials, making nutrients available for absorption in the intestines.
Perfect For:
- Adult chickens (8+ weeks of age)
- Laying hens on whole grain or scratch feed diets
- Free-range chickens eating grass, weeds, and seeds
- Turkeys, ducks, geese, and other adult poultry
- Birds consuming anything beyond commercial pellets/crumbles
- Backyard flocks with varied diets
- Heritage breeds on natural feeding programs
- Year-round digestive support
When Birds Need Grit:
Essential If Your Birds Eat:
- Whole grains or cracked corn
- Scratch feed mixtures
- Kitchen scraps with fibrous materials
- Fresh grass, weeds, or plants
- Garden vegetables or fruit
- Seeds from plants or feeders
- Any food beyond processed pellets
Less Critical If:
- Fed only commercial pellets or crumbles
- No access to whole grains or fibrous materials
- Strictly confined with processed feed only
Signs Your Flock May Need Grit:
- Eating whole grains, scratch, or seeds
- Free-ranging with access to plants and grass
- Slow digestion or crop issues
- Undigested food in droppings
- Poor feed conversion
- Reduced appetite
- Crop feels hard or impacted
Size Matters:
Regular poultry grit is larger than chick grit and specifically sized for adult birds:
- Chick Grit: Extra-small particles for birds 0-8 weeks
- Poultry Grit: Regular-size particles for birds 8+ weeks (this product)
- Large Grit: Extra-large for turkeys and large waterfowl
The proper size ensures:
- Safe consumption without choking
- Effective grinding in the gizzard
- Long-lasting performance
- Optimal digestive support
How to Use:
Free-Choice Method (Recommended):
- Provide grit in a separate container from food and water
- Place near the feeder for convenient access
- Allow birds to consume as needed—they self-regulate
- Keep available at all times
- Refill as needed; keep dry
Amount Needed: A 5 lb bag typically lasts 2-4 months for a small flock of 6-10 birds, depending on diet and ranging habits.
Important Feeding Guidelines:
- Never mix grit into feed
- Provide free-choice in a separate container
- Keep grit dry for maximum effectiveness
- Replace if contaminated with droppings
- Suitable for all adult poultry (chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese)
- Especially important for free-range and whole-grain-fed birds
Grit vs. Oyster Shell:
These serve different purposes—don't confuse them:
Poultry Grit (This Product):
- Insoluble (doesn't dissolve)
- Stays in gizzard to grind food
- For all adult birds (males and females)
- Essential for mechanical digestion
- Made from granite
Oyster Shell:
- Soluble calcium supplement
- Dissolves to provide calcium
- Only for laying hens (18+ weeks)
- For strong eggshell formation
- Made from crushed oyster shells
Both can be offered simultaneously in separate containers.
Natural Granite Composition:
Manna Pro Poultry Grit is made from natural granite because:
- Granite is extremely hard and durable
- Insoluble—doesn't dissolve in digestive acids
- Lasts longer in the gizzard than softer materials
- Provides consistent grinding action
- All-natural and safe for poultry
Free-Range vs. Confined Birds:
Free-Range Birds:
- May find some natural grit (small rocks, pebbles)
- Still benefit from supplemental grit for optimal digestion
- Especially need grit if soil lacks natural stones
Confined Birds:
- Have no access to natural grit sources
- Absolutely require supplemental grit
- Critical for proper digestion and health
Seasonal Considerations:
Winter:
- Grit needs may increase with higher grain consumption
- Harder for free-range birds to find natural grit in snow/frozen ground
- Ensure adequate indoor grit availability
Summer:
- Free-ranging birds eat more plants and seeds
- Increased grit needs for processing fibrous materials
- Keep grit containers filled and accessible
The Manna Pro Difference:
For over a century, Manna Pro has been the trusted name in poultry nutrition and health products. Their poultry grit is:
- Carefully sized for optimal safety and effectiveness
- Quality-controlled for consistent particle size
- Made from premium natural granite
- Tested and proven by generations of poultry keepers
Storage:
Store in a cool, dry place in the original bag or an airtight container. Keep away from moisture to prevent clumping. Properly stored grit has an indefinite shelf life.
Transitioning from Chick Grit:
Around 8-10 weeks of age, as pullets mature, transition from small chick grit to this regular-sized poultry grit. The larger particles are appropriate for their fully developed digestive systems and adult-sized gizzards.
Give your flock the digestive support they need for optimal health and nutrition with Manna Pro Poultry Grit!
PRODUCT INFORMATION
Composition: Natural Granite (Insoluble Grit)
Particle Size: Regular, specifically sized for adult poultry (8+ weeks)
Type: Insoluble (does not dissolve in digestive system)
Function: Mechanical digestion aid in the gizzard
Color: Gray/speckled (natural granite)
FEEDING DIRECTIONS
Age Range: Adult poultry 8+ weeks and older
Method: Free-choice in separate container
Amount: Allow birds to self-regulate intake
When to Provide: Essential if birds eat whole grains, scratch, plants, or seeds
Frequency: Keep available at all times
Location: Near feeder, in coop or run
SUITABLE FOR
✓ Adult chickens (all breeds)
✓ Laying hens
✓ Roosters
✓ Pullets (8+ weeks)
✓ Turkeys
✓ Ducks
✓ Geese
✓ Game birds
✓ Guinea fowl
✓ Any adult poultry
IMPORTANT GUIDELINES
✓ Use regular-sized grit for birds 8+ weeks
✓ Use chick grit for birds under 8 weeks
✓ Provide free-choice, never mixed with feed
✓ Essential for birds eating whole grains or ranging
✓ Can be offered alongside oyster shell (separate containers)
✓ Keep dry for maximum effectiveness
✗ Not a calcium supplement (use oyster shell for laying hens)
✗ Not a substitute for proper nutrition
✗ Not suitable for baby chicks (use chick grit)
CONSUMPTION GUIDE
Light Consumption: Birds on pellets/crumbles only
Moderate Consumption: Birds on mixed diet with some whole grains
Heavy Consumption: Free-range birds or those on whole grain diets
Expected Duration (5 lb bag):
- Small flock (4-6 birds): 3-5 months
- Medium flock (7-10 birds): 2-3 months
- Large flock (11+ birds): 1-2 months
STORAGE
- Store in cool, dry location
- Keep container sealed to prevent moisture
- Protect from contamination
- Indefinite shelf life when stored properly
- Keep away from feed to avoid accidental mixing
SIZE COMPARISON CHART
Chick Grit: 0-8 weeks (extra-small particles)
Poultry Grit: 8+ weeks (regular particles) ← THIS PRODUCT
Large Grit: Turkeys, large waterfowl (extra-large particles)