Best way to feed oyster shell temporarily?

[gale65]

dh got a few lbs today and I put some holes in the side and bottom of a butter tub and hung it on the side of the run. Plus I threw some on the ground. One brave pullet ate some out of the tub but the rest just looked at it like it was something evil. Hopefully they'll figure it out.

 

[del gallinero]

Hi, I'm new to this, so the question may seem silly..... But here goes. if you use their eggshells do you have to bake them first to kill bacteria and/or to dry them out before giving them back to the hens?

 

[they'reHISchickens]

You don't have to bake the eggshells but most of us do before crushing and feeding back. I nuke mine for a minute and a half.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't, but if you are going to store them in your kitchen for a while, it might be a good idea. I just put them into a container that gets emptied into my compost pile every day. The chickens have access to the compost pile and eat what they will. Usually, they don't eat the shells at all. They usually don't touch the oyster shell either. I have some offered free choice all the time. Mine are obviously finding enough calcium.