Oyster shell- anything to know?

[Riptide360]

See if your local seafood restaurant will save you the oyster shells they would normally throw out. One 5 gallon bucket will last you a LONG time! Just soak & rinse them. Dry them. Put them in a feed bag. With a hammer and safety glasses smash them.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

I haven't tried all the Oyster Shell on the market but that Manna Pro one that says it's "Oyster Shell and Coral" is really just coral and the hens don't like it.

The picture on the Purina bag is discouraging as it looks like white rocks.

It appears "Oyster Shell" now has nothing to do with Oysters and just means "Source of Calcium" no matter how inferior. The liars!

I've scoured the forum through threads on Oyster Shell trying to find out where I can get the right thing (FLAKED Oyster Shell) for a decent price, but even one highly recommended brand, when I read the reviews online, has since started to use mixed Seashells razed from beaches rather than Oysters.

So, I looked at alternatives including "Crab meal" and the aforementioned Seashell but I have trouble making decisions when it's not what I sought.
Gaaaaaar!

I went to the beach in long island and got oyster shells. Now i just need to crush them. Not as easy as i first suspected. My hens will not eat the mana pro oyster shells. Never have. I give them layer feed and free choice egg shells. They eat the egg shells so thats good. Good luck!

 

[raingarden]

Crushing shell is pretty frustrating. It's a lot of work and you end up with stuff that is either too small or too large. You need to wear eye protection, screen it and keep hammering the big pieces.

You can buy the real deal, flaked oyster shell, on Amazon. But, it's $22 for only five pounds; about ten times more than it used to cost. You can always split the difference and mix flaked oyster shell with the white rocks.. The hens definitely prefer the flaked shell and will pick it out, but if they eat a few white rocks along the way then they will eat less of your expensive flaked shell.

There's nothing nutritionally wrong with coral or white rocks. It is all calcium carbonate just like oyster shell. It's just a matter of giving the hens what they want and will eat enough of.

 

[Happy Novogens]

Found this at Cal-Ranch. Was wondering why they called it "feed" instead of just oyster shell (ie. a supplement).
https://www.calranch.com/nutrena-oyster-shell-chicken-feed-50-lb-sku324018

Is this just the oyster shell that I should have available once the hens start laying?

 

[vernandang]

You don't want to feed oyster shells until they're just about ready to lay. When you do start give them in a separate dish. I buy the 50 lb bag for about $14 now. It doesn't get stale, no need to spend so much for just a tiny bag.

Where do you find 50 lb bags? I haven't found any that big

 

[springvalley123]

Where do you find 50 lb bags? I haven't found any that big

Cal-ranch, tractor supply, any feed store.

 

[Ozarkoak]

We feed a brand named Coastal its 50lbs and it costs around $15 at least thats what it was last time we bought it. I feed scratch every morning and every few days I toss a few cups of shell down. Animals are curious creatures. The shells can sit for a few days and suddenly they want it and eat it up. Same with sheep. We free feed nutrients and they take what they need when they need it. As forage changes the nutrient needs change.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Found this at Cal-Ranch. Was wondering why they called it "feed" instead of just oyster shell (ie. a supplement).
https://www.calranch.com/nutrena-oyster-shell-chicken-feed-50-lb-sku324018

Is this just the oyster shell that I should have available once the hens start laying?

Yeah that should be fine.

 

[raingarden]

Found this at Cal-Ranch. Was wondering why they called it "feed" instead of just oyster shell (ie. a supplement).
https://www.calranch.com/nutrena-oyster-shell-chicken-feed-50-lb-sku324018

Is this just the oyster shell that I should have available once the hens start laying?

Yes, get it! That looks like the real thing. Actually, get several because you might not see it again.