Feeding oyster shells

[NatJ]

They are 20wk old hens and started laying a week ago. I bought to much chick feed, so they have been eating medicated chick feed. So far their egg shells have not been soft. I had tried giving it mixed in, but they scratched in out.

The actual amount of oyster shell they need is fairly small, relative to the amount of other food they are eating. They might eat something like 2 pounds of oyster shell for each 100 pounds of food, which is not much on a day-to-day basis.

Yes, when you mix anything into the food, they do pick through looking for more of one thing or the other, and they waste more that way.

 

[Chickengirl209]

The actual amount of oyster shell they need is fairly small, relative to the amount of other food they are eating. They might eat something like 2 pounds of oyster shell for each 100 pounds of food, which is not much on a day-to-day basis.

Yes, when you mix anything into the food, they do pick through looking for more of one thing or the other, and they waste more that way.

Thank you! What type of container do you use?

 

[NatJ]

Thank you! What type of container do you use?

Chickens really aren't that picky, so just choose something you have available that can be put where you want it. If you put it somewhere that water might get in, make a few holes in the bottom of the container to let the water get out again.

I tend to cut plastic milk jugs into the right shape for many purposes. For this, I would cut a hole in the side so a chicken can stick her head in, and then I would tie the jug in place with a string through the handle.

Or I would take a container from sour cream or yoghurt, screw it to the side of the pen, and put the oyster shell in.

I have also used the kind of container that hangs on a cage to hold food or water (sold for pet rabbits, guinea pigs, birds, etc.)

I've seen pictures of oyster shell dispensers made from PVC pipe, or from pieces of gutter (like you'd use on a roof) or from various other things too.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I have a lot of birds, I use a scrap piece of plastic gutter. I also use plastic gutter to feed them their wet mash. Basically, plastic gutter gets repurposed around here, a lot!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Do you have problems with the hens eating their eggs after you feed them eggshell?

Nor do I.

I put a small container of oyster shells in the coop for my 7 hens and they don’t touch it. They also don’t seem to touch the grit. I put both out MONTHS ago and I can’t tell that either have been eaten at all.

Chickens can get calcium from many sources: the feed we give them, some vegetation they eat, certain creepy crawlies they are lucky enough to catch. If your native soil is limestone or another calcium rich rock they may get enough calcium from that. If they are getting enough calcium from other sources there is no reason for them to touch the oyster shell. Let your egg shells tell you how they are doing for calcium. If the shells are firm, they are doing fine.

Similarly with grit. If they are getting grit form rocks in the soil they have no reason to touch the grit you offer.

I agree with PolishAllTheWay. As long as they are not having problems they are gettingm them from somewhere else.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Do you have problems with the hens eating their eggs after you feed them eggshell?

Nope, haven't had an issue. I also don't find (so far) that the birds have a preference, but I mix the eggshell and oyster in one dispenser so that's probably the reason.