GRIT AND GIZZARD 



One of the most important things necessary for the health of 

 poultry is a supply of grit of the right kind. Nature provides a use 

 for every organ of the body, and in every body an organ for each 

 specific duty. Most animals are provided with teeth to enable them 

 to prepare their food for the action of the fluids secreted by the 

 stomach, pancreas and liver. It will also be remembered that be- 

 sides being crushed in the mouth by the teeth, the food is acted 

 on by the saliva. 



Nature has not endowed birds with teeth, but it has provided a 

 goDd substitute in the gizzard. This is a tough, strong, muscular 

 organ, so situated in the body that all food taken into the mouth 

 must pass through it. Previous to passing through the gizzard, 

 all food has been received into a pouch or bag, the crop, where it re- 

 mains some time. There it is soaked with and acted upon by a fluid 

 secreted in and by this pouch, and a modified process takes place 

 similar to that of the saliva in the mouth of animals with teeth. 



The food gradually leaves this pouch (the crop), passes through 

 the proventriculus and into the gizzard, where it is ground up, and 

 thence it goes to the intestines, where, after being mixed with other 

 fluids, it passes on and the nutriment is absorbed. No doubt a 

 bird may be made to exist for a time, perhaps a considerable time, 

 without grit, just as a person may live for years with bad* teeth, 

 or perhaps with none at all. We all know how little such people 

 enjoy their food or health, and surely if the birds do not have the 

 means of masticating their food they can neither be healthy nor 

 enjoy their food, and will not give their owners a good return for 

 their food and care. 



. The Best Grit 



The gizzard is a marvelously strong little mill and when pro- 

 vided with the proper grit, or little grindstones, will keep the fowls 

 in good condition. Hard, sharp substances are necessary, such as 

 flint stones or granite pounded up. Broken china, earthenware, 

 glass and all such substances broken up make excellent grit. 



When the grit has not sharp edges, the harder parts of the food 

 are not digested, husks and green food accumulate and frequently 

 cause a stoppage between the crop and the gizzard, so that nothing 

 but liquid can pass. A lack of sharp grit brings on diarrhoea ; also, 

 the gall overflows and sometimes the gall-sack bursts. There are 

 two passages, one into, and the other out of the gizzard ; they are 

 both on one side of it. The one leading out of it is much smaller 

 than the one leading into it. Thus the gizzard can receive larger 

 substances but cannot get rid of them until they are ground small ; 

 and sharp grit is needed for this. 



When I first came to California I purchased a grist mill and, alas, 

 I had broken china also ! I had two dozen hens just bought and 

 proceeded to grind up some crockery for them. The man who was 

 building my fence thought it dreadfully cruel of me, remarking, "It's 

 enough to kill a dog; let alone those poor hens." "The hens will not 



