Grit & Oyster Shell Feeders ????

[CK Chickadilly]

I want to offer the free choice grit & oyster shell. I am wondering how you all set up your feeders to do this? I want them to be in the main chicken house so they all can have use of the feeders but the problem is, they poop in everything. I have a hanging feeder for the layer crumbles/pellets which stay clean. Should I hang some small feeders for the grit & shells? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Also, the DH is going to have a hissy if I buy anymore feeders so, can I make something to hang?

Also if I have the oyster shell out, will the young ones get into it & eat it? They all hang together so I have to have it all out for the olders ones to get too. Hope this all makes sense.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[annmarie]

I use those little galvanized metal dishes that attach to the side of the coop. I think they're actually meant for rabbit cages. They were only about $2 a piece I think. They're probably 1 1/2 cups in size.

 

[CK Chickadilly]

Quote:
Yeah, I do have a couple of those, they are double sided & they are for bunnies, but I have one in the big girls cage, but at night they roost & poop in it! UGH! Maybe I could move it to the wall of the chicken house. Hummmm

Will the young-uns eat the shell? Or do they only take it when needed? Actually the shells are excellent, so do I even need to offer it?

 

[annmarie]

I believe you should have oyster shells (or some source of calcium) available to layers at all times. That said, my hens have very nice strong shells too, and they rarely touch the oyster shells, but every once in a while one of them goes on a bit of an oyster shell binge so I'm guessing they notice when they're in need of a good calcium fix. How young are your young-uns that you're asking about? Are they getting ready to lay?

 

[gritsar]

I'm a lazy chicken owner. My chickens free-range, so I just toss oyster shell on the ground and the hens eat it up.

 

[LynneP]

And if you have any of those small plastic measuring cups, the 1/3 and 1/4 cup ones can be hung indoors or out. Hang higher than would interest your younger birds, for oyster shell. If you put them outdoors, poke a hole in the middle of the bottom for moisture drainage.

 

[freemotion]

I screwed a two-compartment feeder directly to the wall and put granite in one side and oyster shell in the other. It is an open, square compartment feeder meant to give minerals or salt free-choice to horses, goats, etc. It works great and was about $4 maybe at TSC. I have seen them at feed stores and tack shops and in catalogs, too. For 20 hens, I rarely have to refill it.

Any sturdy plastic container or bowl can be attached to a scrap of wood. A triangular scrap of wood could be screwed to the wall and the bowl or box can be attached to the triangle by putting a screw right through the bottom of the bowl and into the wood scrap. A freebie!

 

[CK Chickadilly]

Hey those are some great ideas! Thanks!

Anne Marie, my young ones are about 3 months old, they are OEGB's.