Feeding Pet Chickens

[dannyd21]

What form of oyster shell were you using? The stuff that looks like small rock, or 100% flaked shell pieces? Adding in crushed egg shell can also help encourage them to visit a calcium container.

they were the like big rocky kind i never knew there was flaky ones ill definitely look into it

 

[rosemarythyme]

they were the like big rocky kind i never knew there was flaky ones ill definitely look into it

Two brands that sell flaked ones are Small Pet Select and Scratch & Peck. My flock prefers the former but I've used the latter as well.

 

[StarOnFire59]

Have you ever had problems feeding oyster shells? I know my original flock refused to ever touch oyster shells hence why they had to stay on the layer feed.

Mine don't prefer the oyster shell. I only use it when I'm in a hurry or my arthritis is killing me. I keep all the egg shells, rinse them in a
32-oz cup multiple times, dry them on a paper plate, them powder them in a mortar & pestle. They prefer that. I just add the egg shell powder into their feed, stir it up, and it sticks to the black fly soldier larvae. Happy hens!

 

[rlhagan56]

Have you ever had problems feeding oyster shells? I know my original flock refused to ever touch oyster shells hence why they had to stay on the layer feed.

They won't eat the white rock oyster shell, but mine love the oyster shell flakes that I order on Amazon.

 

[Prairie Sky Farm]

New flock just started to lay their first eggs! They're a flock of barred rocks and buff Orringtons. Now obviously feeding laying hens layer feed is the standard but these are pet chickens for my parents who don't need a factory egg production in their backyard and they want to avoid pushing the hens too hard with laying where like their old flock all died due to egg laying related diseases/cancer.

So basically my question is does layer feed push hens to lay more and if so can a different feed be substituted or replaced where the hens aren't pushing their bodies too hard to lay?

I feed Cracked corn, Oyster shell and occasional Meal Worm. Once a week, the get Purina Layena. No problems with Cracked eggs. I have 25 hens and feed 2 coffee cans full of food with a handful of oyster shell. In the summer, they get all the veggie scraps.

 

[BDutch]

Have you ever had problems feeding oyster shells? I know my original flock refused to ever touch oyster shells hence why they had to stay on the layer feed.

People seem to forget that chickens can choose what they need if offered. As long as you give healthy feed (no extra sugars and fat) chickens that lay will do well on good layer and on chick/all flock too , with oyster on the side.

If the hens don’t need extra calcium (oyster shell) they won’t eat it.

Mine can choose between chick feed and layer feed. The old hens are not interested in the layer pellets. The younger chickens eat both.

 

[BDutch]

Mine don't prefer the oyster shell. I only use it when I'm in a hurry or my arthritis is killing me. I keep all the egg shells, rinse them in a
32-oz cup multiple times, dry them on a paper plate, them powder them in a mortar & pestle. They prefer that. I just add the egg shell powder into their feed, stir it up, and it sticks to the black fly soldier larvae. Happy hens!

I put the egg shells 30 seconds in the microwave. Cut it with a scissor before I scatter it in the run.

 

[LoveMyPeepers]

I put the egg shells 30 seconds in the microwave. Cut it with a scissor before I scatter it in the run.

does the microwave help dry it out?

 

[BDutch]

does the microwave help dry it out?

It kills all bacteria. I don’t want to store it for long. So why dry it out?

 

[rosemarythyme]

does the microwave help dry it out?

IMO easiest way to dry them out is keep eggshells on a oven safe tray and just pop them in when you're preheating the oven. By the time the oven comes to temperature you'll have dried out, easy to crush shells.