Am I a bad chicken momma? I'm not giving them oyster...

[Break an Egg]

Quote:

or HEN-vy lmbo!!!

 

[mama2many]

I too offer oyster shell and have only recently gone through a 5 lb bag. I have a 30 chickens and guineas mixed flock. It so far has been probably the cheapest thing purchased for them. I too give them LOADS of kitchen waste, yogurt cheese and milk included. I consider it kinda like insurance, you don't know you need it til you need it and don't have it....Just a thought.

We have made both our coops, runs, all the coop furniture and most of the feeding and watering supplies from recycled/reclaimed materials. DH and I are all about doing it on the cheep..haha.

 

[sixlittlechicks09]

Quote:
Haha I think so too! Every time they come over they look around the coop just trying to find something that they've "done better". The husband told me the other night "Ya know, if you want chicks, you're going to have to introduce new genes into your flock. I'd trade you a rooster for two or three of your pullets there so you wouldn't get inbred chicks." (NOTICE ONE rooster for TWO OR THREE pullets.

)

I lol'ed at him, then simply explained none of the chickens are related, they came from a hatchery!

Silly man, trying to trade one of his big, ol' leghorn roos for one of my nice little hens

But thanks everyone!! I just LOVE that I can post questions and get such knowledgable answers!

Thanks again!

 

[sixlittlechicks09]

Quote:
Ohh bad pun.

But yeah, I'm thinking maybe next time I go out I'll get a bag just to be safe, but now I know I don't need to run out and buy a big bag immediately.

 

[phaethona]

I don't think thats wrong at all. if they start laying softies, give em shell, problem solved.

Congrats on the new layer, that's so awesome!

my girlies just started laying 2 weeks ago(I think I have 4 layers out of 10 hens), the eggs are still pretty small, but i got a white one from my only(and fav) white leghorn yesterday, so me and the kids are super excited!

I offer a small tray of shell but I've never seen them eat it, and the only time I've had to refill it was because they kicked it over. they free range all day and eat layer feed, and I give them black oil sunflower seed daily, so they get a good variety of nourishment. they seem to know what their bodies need, and mine have needed very very little, if any at all, of the shell.
I don't know how common internal breakage is, so I dont really know how crucial it is to use it as a preventative, but I certainly wouldn't make dietary decisions based on what the neighbor thinks, they're obviously NOT a wealth of knowledge and experience with chickens

I say, if what you want to do is not give them shell, then don't, unless something comes up that warrants it. If they're laying nice strong-shelled eggs, I wouldn't give a hoot about what the neighbors and their very expensive roos think

Thats hilarious about the coop!

we spent $700 building our coop, but we had to do it that way because we didnt have an old shed to convert and we had to make it look really nice so some of the HOA drama queens around here wouldn't be put off by an ugly chicken coop, otherwise it would have been a lot more shabby.

 

[Chickenmaven]

Sounds like you are taking perfect care of your hens.

You will not be able to "take care" of your neighbors' need to feel superior, however. People like that always try to pull rank & correct others. It is bad manners!

 

[RM44]

I've never fed mine oyster shell either, and my girls' eggs are hard as rocks. I do tend to agree with the suggestions of making it available, but I'm just too lazy to set it up. It couldn't hurt, but I have never found it necessary. Mine don't free range; they are in an enclosed run and coop large enough to accomodate 4 times as many hens as I have (so they are happy and have plenty of room). I feed Layena, with scratch and BOSS every other day, and some table scraps every other day or so. Most of their diet is the layer rations, and they have it 24/7.

I think you should just keep smiling at the neighbors and being polite. Kill 'em with kindness and you will get the last laugh.

 

[cdnbenthalo]

PAHHHHHH sounds like the Country Club Peeps don't know how to make anything but their credit card bills go up, seriously , a great deal many people do not know how to make things by hand anymore, so hold your head up and be proud, sounds like your girls have a deluxe run made just for them and it looks like your feeding them more than enough calcium 'cause if it takes more than a couple of whacks to crack an egg you are doing AWESOME

 

[CricketYang]

Just to rub it in a little, I'd go over there and offer them a few eggs as a good neighborly gesture.

 

[sixlittlechicks09]

Quote:

or HEN-vy lmbo!!!

Gosh, these puns are getting painful

And thanks everyone else! I suppose if I happen to see/remember/have the money next time I'm at TSC I might pick up a bag. But I'm definitely not going out of my way for it! And I wonder what they're going to do once their "BEAUTIFUL little boys" start getting spurs and mean streaks.