Ground oyster shells

[Teppler]

Okay my girls are not consistent layers the oldest is 2 yrs , I keep ground oyster shell available for them but it is ground very course and they don't seem very interested in eating it. Should I look for some finer ground shell for them? When they do lay egg shells seem thin and crack very easy. I keep feed available for them all the time, I buy it at Local Tractor supply..

 

[MikeTheGardener]

Don't they sell feed that includes grit? I know it doesn't answer your question, but I was curious.

 

[pdirt]

What breeds? At two years old, some breeds will slow down laying and/or not lay as many "normal" eggs. Have they never been interested in the oyster shell? Or is the lack of interest a new thing? No, you don't want the crushed oyster shell to be ground finely...the coarse grind helps them absorb the calcium better.

Are they all laying thin shells or just some? How is their overall health? Any signs of worms? Have you checked for lice or mites?

 

[Teppler]

Mixed breeds 3 red chickens and one black and white speckled, last year averaged 3 eggs a day from 4 girls,have dewormed them in the last month,no sign of lice etc. yesterday got 2 eggs in laying box and one egg layed on roost but was broken. one chicken lays everyday but egg is small compared to normal egg..I don't keep them for the eggs they are pets but eggs are a real bonus for sure. As far as them eating the ground oyster shell I have never seen them eating it but after several weeks there appears to be some being eaten I will try and check more often.

 

[NapaChicknGal]

My girls don't seem interested in oyster shells and I purchased 50# bag!!!!! I just purchased 25# scratch and they LOVE it; what goes?

 

[pdirt]

Mixed breeds 3 red chickens and one black and white speckled, last year averaged 3 eggs a day from 4 girls,have dewormed them in the last month,no sign of lice etc. yesterday got 2 eggs in laying box and one egg layed on roost but was broken. one chicken lays everyday but egg is small compared to normal egg..I don't keep them for the eggs they are pets but eggs are a real bonus for sure. As far as them eating the ground oyster shell I have never seen them eating it but after several weeks there appears to be some being eaten I will try and check more often.

I forgot to ask the most obvious question: What are you feeding them? I am assuming you are feeding layer feed. If so, that would be why they are not eating much oyster shell, because they are already getting enough calcium from the layer feed.

Since your breeds are mixed, it's really hard to say if breed is an issue. Some breeds (I think the Red Sex Links are one) apparently lay like bonkers for about a year and then dramatically drop off in production. It's not true that all chickens lay an egg every day for their whole lives. Many breeds lay very well (250-300 eggs per year) for about 2 years, then drop in production after that. A 10 year old chicken may lay once a week (52 eggs a year).

If you don't think breed is an issue, keep an eye on their health. If health is an issue, you will probably see changes in their egg laying patterns. If breed is an issue, it will be fairly consistent.

 

[pdirt]

My girls don't seem interested in oyster shells and I purchased 50# bag!!!!! I just purchased 25# scratch and they LOVE it; what goes?

Scratch is generally a treat and is actual food. They do enjoy it, just don't feed them too much! It's low in protein. Oyster shell isn't exactly tasty food, but hens in lay do need calcium.

Same question as to the OP: Are you feeding layer feed? If so, they will have very little interest in the oyster shell. If you are not feeding layer feed, then they either must not be laying much, are in a molt or are getting their calcium needs elsewhere. Some people who feed layer feed will also keep a dish of oyster shell on the side, in case the hens feel a need for more or a different source of calcium. These folks report very little oyster shell being eaten, though they do eat a little. Most people feeding layer feed don't bother with oyster shell.

I don't feed layer feed, but grower, which does not have enough calcium for our laying hens. We have roosters as well as some hens that aren't laying due to broodiness or molting or one is getting past the 2 year mark (she doesn't lay as much now). For our 13 hens, we go through about 2-3 pounds of oyster shell a month. A 10lbs bag of it from the feed store lasts us several months.

 

[NapaChicknGal]

hi, they lay -- I'm a rookie -- have had some eggs broken, eaten or whatever. I don't know what "layer feed" is; just that I buy 50# sack of either generic or organic--just bought second 50# -- got first 3 last part of March, second 3 first part of May and they came w/25# of generic feed. So what, throw some scratch out now and then? I bought some last week and have thrown out 2 cups each time (took me awhile to get it in back yard) so last 5 days, maybe. I feed them yogurt 1x/wk, raisins, greens, fruit and fruit rinds since my girlfriend, my "Chicken Guru" said to do; however, she was nonspecific on any feeding schedules except "feeding at will" by leaving feeders out.
Question also granules or those chunks?
thnx for feedbk; really appeciate it--Pat

 

[pdirt]

hi, they lay -- I'm a rookie -- have had some eggs broken, eaten or whatever. I don't know what "layer feed" is; just that I buy 50# sack of either generic or organic--just bought second 50# -- got first 3 last part of March, second 3 first part of May and they came w/25# of generic feed. So what, throw some scratch out now and then? I bought some last week and have thrown out 2 cups each time (took me awhile to get it in back yard) so last 5 days, maybe. I feed them yogurt 1x/wk, raisins, greens, fruit and fruit rinds since my girlfriend, my "Chicken Guru" said to do; however, she was nonspecific on any feeding schedules except "feeding at will" by leaving feeders out.
Question also granules or those chunks?
thnx for feedbk; really appeciate it--Pat

Disclaimer...I'm certainly no chicken expert, these are just a few things I've learned from others here on BYC or from personal experience.

Some 101 for you:

Chicken feed = necessary, should comprise most of their diet as it is a complete nutritional source
feed comes in varieties: chick starter, grower, broiler, layer, finisher
for your purposes either feed layer (calcium already mixed in) or starter or grower (with your oyster shell on the side in a dish)
keep feed in feeders at all times unless you end up with a bad rodent problem, then get different feeders (to keep rodents out) or feed them 1x in morning and 1x in eve before dark

Scratch = not necessary, usually a mix of corn and wheat, feed sparingly as a treat if at all (we keep a bag of whole corn to make the chickens go inside the coop if we want to leave the house)

Grit = necessary unless they have access to dirt or free range, usually crushed granite or some other rock, necessary for them to digest food

Crushed oyster shell = necessary if you feed any feed other than layer, they need this for calcium to lay eggs. DO NOT feed layer feed to chicks less than 18 weeks old. Having crushed oyster shell on the side is a-okay with roosters and chicks around, because they will eat very very little of it while the laying hens will gobble it down

Of what you're feeding, yogurt is good stuff, lots of probiotics. Go easy on the raisins and other things, ie, okay to feed small amounts, but don't regularly feed them massive amounts of anything that is not their purchased feed. We might feed ours a big pile of chopped greens (or fruit scraps) 1x/week or so, but it isn't any sort of regular thing. The reason you don't want to feed too much non-formulated feed stuff is that it can be easy to give your chickens nutritional deficiencies (namely protein) which can lead to health issues or reduced/no egglaying. Okay to feed them meat scraps but not too much cheese (because of the high salt content). Not to scare you here, but just a warning that many new chicken owners tend to do...feed them anything and everything and then wonder why they aren't getting any eggs. If money is real tight, do some research on chicken nutrition and you may be able to come up with how to keep the right kind of variety in a chicken's scrap diet (scrap being your kitchen scraps) to be able to actually feed them well and make a dent in your feed bill. But protein is the expensive part and usually the protein in chicken feed (because it is "feed grade" instead of "food/human grade") will be less expensive than anything you can buy at a grocery store.

As far as the form of the feed (mash, crumbles, pellets, etc) it doesn't matter too much. It depends on what your chickens like to eat. I prefer mash or crumbles as it hasn't been heat treated like pellets. The mfr process of making the pellets requires them to use high heat to put them into pellet form, which degrades nutrients in the feed.

 

[NapaChicknGal]

hi, thnx so much for input --when I go in coop they race towards me and kind of expect more, I guess,since I've been doing it since Igot them. My chicken guru friend who got me startedsaid she gives them a treat 1x/day.
Also, I clipped BOTH wings of a skinny leghorn - got 2 -- they both were flying out but now only one is; H-E-L-P. Fence is 5'
and in coop area she hops on coop then flies out, but my new "run" area is 5' and she's been flying over it-- first both and now just the one; so exasperating, esp since I just finished replanting veggie bxs.
thnx to all of you for your feedback --it really helps.