Grit

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There are two types of grit; soluble and insoluble, both are necessary parts of a bird's diet. It's ideal to have a bowl of grit available at all times, the birds may not flock to it, but they do need access to stay in top condition.

Insoluble - hens don't have teeth, but they do have a muscular stomach (gizzard or ventriculus) that grinds down food. Insoluble grit hangs around in the gizzard and aids the break down of food, thereby supporting digestion. 

Soluble - usually limestone or oyster shell. This is digestible calcium, which can top up calcium levels if the hens reserves are low. If a hen has a normal balanced diet, with laying hen feed and occasional treats, then supplementary calcium isn't always necessary. However, too many treats can dilute the dietary calcium intake and lead to a deficiency in laying hens. 

Laying hens need their dietary calcium during the night, this is usually when it's in greatest demand as the calcium rich egg shell is being laid around tomorrow's breakfast. If there's insufficient calcium available in the diet, then she can take calcium from her bones, but if she needs to do this every night, then it puts her at risk of weak bones and fractures (osteoporosis). 

Birds will select grit sizes that are appropriate for them, so it is important to provide the right kind of grit, for example, chick flint is insoluble grit and is a small size grit suitable for chicks, whereas chicken grit is often mixed (soluble and insoluble) and a larger size, suitable for adult birds.

In summary, insoluble and soluble grit should be available at all times to support; digestion, bone strength and egg shell production. Ensure the right size is able for the age / size of the bird.