Do I NEED crushed oyster shell?

[JOSEPHC]

HOW DO YOU PREPARE THE EGG SHELL THAT YOU GIVE BACK TO YOUR FLOCK?

 

[jdywntr]

I just rinse mine when I use them. Dry and crush. I don't crush to a powder just to the point they aren't egg like anymore.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

When I first reintroduced the egg shell I painstakingly removed the lining within the shell and then crumbled them down with a spoon. Then after I saw them wolfing down in the compost bin I decided I didn't need to be as delicate with them.

I just rinse them, squish them in my hand and twist and tear until they are about bite size for them. Sometimes they are still sorta strung together but then the hens shake apart the bits.

They are one of the first things to disappear when I bring down the treats/scraps.

 

[Nebraskagirl]

I just crack up at the thought of the ducks rooting through the compost bin!

 

[The Dim Side]

I know this is a very old thread, and I actually have geese. But I was just wondering if anyone knew if it's bad if a non-layer waterfowl (and potentially a gander) eats oyster shell. We just found out our other one is a female when she started laying eggs unexpectedly at 5 months old. But I worry about both layer feed and oyster shell around the possible male because I've read about kidney issues with too much calcium for them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My gander nor any of my drakes or roosters eat the oyster shell. They may have at one time tasted it but that's it. If your worried about your gander you could just use an All flock feed. I mix layer and starter for my flock 50/50.

 

[The Dim Side]

My gander nor any of my drakes or roosters eat the oyster shell. They may have at one time tasted it but that's it. If your worried about your gander you could just use an All flock feed. I mix layer and starter for my flock 50/50.

Thanks! And is the layer feed okay for males when it's mixed with the all flock, too? We do have an all flock and layer feed mix that I gave to them, but I currently switched to just duck feed right now with oyster shell (the [likely] gander just got out of the vet and is still recovering and doesn't seem to like the mix much). I did watch the gander nibble on the oyster shell a little, so that's why I wasn't sure. So I'm trying to find the best setup for them, haha.