Ages/Feed/Grit/Help!

[UKChickInNZ]

The grit is designed to break down their food, so if you are giving anything other than crumble feed, like sunflower seeds or cracked corn, you should provide grit. In my opinion you don't need the oyster shell, I doubt you are getting eggs yet, but in another Month or so when you are getting eggs, put in a small dish of the oyster shell/ they will not gorge on it, they will eat what they need to replenish the calcium used to make the eggs.

Do silkies really lay that late? My orpingtons were 22 weeks when I got my first egg.

Sorry Alicatt, just noticed the last part of this post.

I didn't think they took that long to lay either! I have looked online and it said anywhere from 22-28 weeks they can lay.. 8 months/32 weeks seems a very long time! Didn't want to question the breeder's judgement though since I'm a newbie to Silkies!

 

[Alicatt]

The good news is they will start laying together if that is the case! You won't need to worry about excess calcium then! Alot of people will feed crumbled eggshells back to the chooks, you dry them out first, some people bake them to dry them. They need the calcium for the hard shell of the egg, so when they eat oyster shells, or eggshells, it helps to make the eggs harder. Obviously they won't need extra if not using it up, that is why recommended for adults. My hens eat more shells when they are laying more eggs, they seem to eat only what they need. Hope this helps!