If you’ve ever stood in the poultry aisle wondering, “Do I need all this crap?”—you’re not alone. The supplement shelf has become the Wild West of backyard chicken keeping.
Let’s cut through it. You do need a few basics. You don’t need a drawer full of powders and pellets. And you definitely don’t need to guess.
🧂 Supplements: Helpful? Sometimes. Required? Rarely.
If your flock’s eating a complete, formulated feed—and not battling heat, illness, or laying strain—skip the extras. Over-supplementing can mess with their systems, not boost them.
When Supplements Make Sense:
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Breeding season: targeted support can help fertility or egg strength.
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High stress or illness: short-term electrolytes and vitamins aid recovery.
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Show birds or travel: probiotics + hydration support can ease the strain.
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Molt recovery: a temporary protein bump (from food, not powders) can help.
Clancy Crowed It: Your coop doesn’t need a vitamin aisle. Just a plan.
The rest of the time? Clean water, solid feed, and a calm environment are better than a supplement schedule.
🪨 Let’s Talk Grit — Yes, All Birds Need It
Chickens don’t have teeth. Their gizzard grinds food—and for that, they need grit. Not “maybe.” Not “just when they’re foraging.” All flocks, all ages.
And no, scratching around your driveway doesn’t cut it.
Why driveway pebbles and sand don’t work:
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Often the wrong size—too small and it passes through without helping.
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Often not retained—goes in one end, out the other.
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Doesn’t wear evenly—may not help with grinding at all.
What to do instead:
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Offer free-choice grit in the right size for their age (chick, grower, layer).
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Refresh regularly—if it’s gone, they’re using it.
Clancy Crowed It: Your chickens aren’t geologists. Give them the grit that actually works.
🥚 Oyster Shell ≠ Grit
(And Crushed Eggshells ≠ Reliable Calcium)
Oyster shell supports eggshell strength. It’s calcium, not grit—and it’s only for laying hens. Everyone else? It can cause more harm than help.
The truth about crushed eggshells:
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Inconsistent supply—especially if you only have a few hens.
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Fast-dissolving—they don’t linger in the system like oyster shell.
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Not always available when a hen needs it most.
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Unsafe if raw—must be heat-treated to reduce risk of bacteria.
Best practice:
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Offer oyster shell free-choice, in a separate dish.
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Don’t mix it into feed—it’s not for roosters, chicks, or pullets.
Clancy Crowed It: Crushed eggshells are a snack. Oyster shell is a system.
🧠 TL;DR – What You Actually Need
| Item | Required? | When It Makes Sense |
|---|---|---|
| Grit (correct size) | ✅ Always | All diets, all ages—even if they free-range |
| Oyster Shell | ✅ For Layers | Free-choice once laying starts |
| Electrolytes | ✅ Sometimes | Heat stress, illness, travel |
| Vitamins | ✅ Sometimes | Short-term support—not daily routine |
| Probiotics | ✅ Sometimes | After antibiotics, stress, or gut upset |
| Protein Boosters | 🚫 Rarely | Use food-based options during molt |
| ACV / “natural” add-ons | 🤷♂️ Optional | May help with water quality, not a cure-all |
What We Stock (and Why)
We sell supplements—but not because every flock needs them daily. We stock what has real use, for real flocks, with real needs. If it's just hype? We don't pretend it's a miracle.
And we always, always say: start with the basics. No glitter, no gimmicks—just good care and grit.
