Girls are almost ready to start laying...when do I add...

[SarahF]

HI everyone...my girls are 13 weeks now and i know by the last week in August, I'll begin looking for eggs. I have a few questions though..

When should I start adding Oyster shells to thier food?

How much should they have? (a local chicken farmer gave me a big bucket of oyster shells and he said just to add it to their food...but he never said how much!?)

They have straw in thier boxes, should I put something different in? Something maybe more soft? I know I've read that they will lay anywhere...but hopefully I don't have to go on a egg hunt.

THANKS for all your responses!
SarahF

 

[Country Gal]

Add the oyster shells once they start laying. Put it in "free choice" and they'll eat as much as they need.

 

[bigzio]

Yep, giving free choice in a seperate small feeder is the way to. Some hens will eat more than others and they will decide how much they need. I have a small bread tin tacked to the wall on the inside of the coop that is level with the hens the backs, and works great for me... also you can dry and smash the egg shells from your kitchen into small pieces and feed to the hens. It is almost 100% calcium and prefered by my hens. I also feed oyster shell, cause the kitchen can't keep up with the girls needs.

bigzio