crab shells?

[Dingleberry]

my hubby went sea fishig and brought back a butt load of crab . the chickens enjoy picking out the leftover meat but I was thinking of using their shells, after I crush them, in place of oyster shell. Can this work? Will they eat crushed shell from crab?

 

[Dingleberry]

 

[southerndesert]

OK my thoughts would be that the shell would indeed supply calcium, but if it was seen as food to them and there was a free choice supply there could possibly be issues from gorging on it perhaps. Oyster shell I do not think is seen as food so they do not over do it, but crab shell may just be yummy to them. That would be my only concern and would think it fine in moderation, but

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[Chemguy]

Crab shells are mostly chitin, a protein. Oyster shells are mostly calcium carbonate. I think that they'd still need oyster shell.

 

[southerndesert]

Quote:
Thanks for the clarification on what the crab shells are actually made up of Chemguy, learned me something I did! So it would be more valuable as a possible protein supplement than anything else...

I assumed like many others I am sure that there would be allot of calcium in the shell, but it is an exoskeleton not a shell!

 

[Cindy in PA]

I think crab shells are also high in selenium, so caution is warranted. I believe it is added to some organic feed, but it's not supposed to be over 1 1/2-2 1/2% of the feed if I remember correctly.