Do I still need to offer oyster shell?

[tralfaz]

new here question,
The OP mentioned serving both shells and grit. Are both needed or do they overlap on purpose?

 

[Acre4Me]

new here question,
The OP mentioned serving both shells and grit. Are both needed or do they overlap on purpose?

Grit is granite. Insoluble and acts like their teeth, grinding up their food in their gizzard. It is necessary if feeding anything other than regular feed. Anything other includes whole grain feeds. If they are free range, or you have gravel in your run, might not need additional grit. Sand and oyster shell are not grit. Grit size varies depends on age of bird. They will pick the stones they want out of a bowl of grit, or from the ground.

Oyster shell is soluble and is a source of calcium. It is needed for laying hens if feeding an all-flock feed (all-flock does not have added calcium). Some people provide a dish of OS if feeding layer feed. But, layer feed has around 4% calcium added, so OS should not be required if feeding layer feed. Too much calcium can be bad for chickens, so if they are molting and/or not laying, they should not be on layer feed. Roosters can be adversely affected in the long term from eating layer feed due to the too-high calcium levels for their systems, but that takes a long time to have a negative effect on roosters.

 

[Ridgerunner]

This causes a problem in the UK and maybe other places. Separated by a common language. This is another reason it's a good idea to modify your profile to show your general location.

Oyster Shell provides extra calcium for hens that are laying. They need it for their egg shells. Chickens not laying also need some calcium in their daily diet for growth or general body function, but not nearly as much. Layer feed provides about 4% calcium, that should be enough if Layer is all they eat. But if they eat other things, either as treats or from foraging, they may need a calcium supplement. In the UK that is called soluble grit. It could be oyster shell or limestone crushed to a size no larger than a green pea. Some people use their egg shells as a calcium supplement.

Chickens do not have teeth but they often eat things that need to be ground up, grains and vegetation for example. They eat small rocks to use in their gizzards to act as teeth. Oyster shell does not work for that since the digestive juices dissolve it. If your chickens have access to the ground they will find their own grit or you can buy it at the feed store. The stuff you buy is generally granite, waste materials for granite quarries, but they can use practically any rock. The harder the rock the longer it lasts. In the UK that is called insoluble grit.

 

[Timothy Menezes]

Oyster is always a good idea no matter what your feeding them. It sits in their gizzard slowly giving them calcium at night when they are often making an eggshell to lay in the morning.

 

[JoeInPA]

Thanks for all the helpful replies everyone! Yes Oyster shell and grit is different, and others have done a great job explaining the difference. I didnt know the difference between the two when I first got started.

My girls don't seem to eat a lot of grit but they do pick at it. They are still eating the oyster shell, so I'll keep filling it up.