Grit and oyster shell

[red star11]

Whats the difference? and is it fine for chicks

 

[Wifezilla]

I have been looking for oyster shells for my ducks and everyone seems to be out. The grit I have found has salt added. I resorted to drying and grinding up some egg shells to hold them over until I can get some oyster shells.

 

[gritsar]

Grit and oyster shell are two different things and serve two different functions in the body of a chicken.
Grit is necessary to grind up their food.
Oyster shell is used to replace the calcium that a hen is putting into the development of eggs.
Chicks need grit once they are eating foods other than their chick starter.
Oyster shell is not needed until your hens are of laying age.

 

[seminolewind]

I have looked high and low for oyster shell, and then found out that the grit I buy has oyster shell in it. Go figure.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
The only thing I would worry about with that is my chicks needed grit way before they needed the calcium they get from oyster shell. Not sure the extra calcium is good for them at a young age, before they are laying. If it only has a small amount of oyster shell in it I guess it would be okay.

 

[msgenie516]

Quote:
Hi,

That's funny you should mention that, I just bought grit and I was told it has oyster shell in it, also. Hope it's okay, being mixed together like that. Genie

 

[Wifezilla]

A lot of grit does have oyster shells....but it also has added salt.

 

[Portalguy]

Gosh, I had no idea that grit was yet another thing that I have to buy!?!?!?! Do you mean that they do not find enough by scratching in the dirt? Our Girls need Boutique Grit. Pedicures at 2PM, poolside...

China to the rescue! Suddenly we have yet another dependency. Works great until someone discovers nuggets of lead in the grit, just like in the paint on the kiddie toys.

How has raising chickens, once a component of striving to become more self-sufficient, become so full of dependencies on manufactured and transported specialty products?

 

[Portalguy]

Here's a Dmitry Orlov quote that I really like:

...brilliant idea: buy green products. Whatever green thing the marketers and advertisers throw at you, buy it, toss it, and buy another one straight away. Repeat until they are out of product, you are out of money, and the landfills are full of green rubbish. That should stimulate the economy.

Market research shows that there is a great reservoir of pent-up eco-guilt out there for marketers and advertisers to exploit. Industrial products that help the environment are a bit of an oxymoron. It's a bit like trying to bail out the Titanic using plastic teaspoons.​