Grubterra

[mj0]

does anyone feed grubterra rather than oyster shells? I just started on the grubterra and just wonder what amount is good for a flock of 15 ladies? I've been giving them a 10oz mug in the evening kinda feel like that is too much...

 

[NatJ]

does anyone feed grubterra rather than oyster shells?

Oyster shells are a good source of calcium for chickens. Black soldier fly larvae are not.

https://grubterra.com/collections/all-product/products/grubterra-5lb-black-soldier-fly-larvae
According to the nutrition facts on the package, they have a calcium content between 2% and 5%.
If laying hens ate NOTHING but those larvae, they might not get enough calcium.
(And a diet of 100% fly larvae is definitely not properly balanced. It would also be very expensive.)
Yes, that site brags about the fly larvae having a lot more calcium than mealworms. Even if that is true it is very misleading: neither one provides enough calcium to make much difference in the diet of a chicken.


I suggest you provide a dish of oyster shell at all times, so your chickens can eat it when they need calcium. Oyster shell is fairly cheap, does not spoil, and chickens are usually quite good at eating the correct amount. Use the black soldier fly larvae as a treat.

 

[mj1025]

does anyone feed grubterra rather than oyster shells? I just started on the grubterra and just wonder what amount is good for a flock of 15 ladies? I've been giving them a 10oz mug in the evening kinda feel like that is too much...

Yes, I used grubterra for a while now, and I Love it so far! Gives my chickies the protein and calcium they need as they grow. They are much bigger now, and it was a good transitional food from just the commercial feed they were getting as babies.
I am just like you before wondering about the quantity I will give to my girls, but I reach out to them, and advise me to give a handful of grubs a day is enough for 5chickens. So in your case, you should give 3 handfuls a day for your 15 girls.

If you want to know more about their grubs, you can check it out here.
https://grubterra.com/blogs/blogpage/what-are-black-soldier-fly-larvae

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Agree that a handful is all you want to give, as a treat/supplement…too much fat otherwise…but while they have calcium, they’re not meant to be a replacement for OTHER supplements, such as oyster shell.

 

[Gigi1983]

Oyster shells are a good source of calcium for chickens. Black soldier fly larvae are not.

https://grubterra.com/collections/all-product/products/grubterra-5lb-black-soldier-fly-larvae
According to the nutrition facts on the package, they have a calcium content between 2% and 5%.
If laying hens ate NOTHING but those larvae, they might not get enough calcium.
(And a diet of 100% fly larvae is definitely not properly balanced. It would also be very expensive.)
Yes, that site brags about the fly larvae having a lot more calcium than mealworms. Even if that is true it is very misleading: neither one provides enough calcium to make much difference in the diet of a chicken.


I suggest you provide a dish of oyster shell at all times, so your chickens can eat it when they need calcium. Oyster shell is fairly cheap, does not spoil, and chickens are usually quite good at eating the correct amount. Use the black soldier fly larvae as a treat.

Sorry now but black soldier fly larvae as a source of calcium is far superior to oyster shell grit. My girls have oyster shell grit left out ad lib and it has never helped with shell issues. Give them BSFL and the issue is sorted in 5 days or less. BSFL has 24,000mgs of calcium per kg. Plus it is rich in phosphorus.

 

[nuthatched]

Sorry now but black soldier fly larvae as a source of calcium is far superior to oyster shell grit. My girls have oyster shell grit left out ad lib and it has never helped with shell issues. Give them BSFL and the issue is sorted in 5 days or less.

Then you might have absorbency issues in your flock, giving larvae in place of oyster shell isn't sound animal care and *will* kill them with low calcium and all the extra fat. It's not nutritionally safe.

We can get down to your birds issues. What's your birds diet? What breeds?

 

[Gigi1983]

Then you might have absorbency issues in your flock, giving larvae in place of oyster shell isn't sound animal care and *will* kill them with low calcium and all the extra fat. It's not nutritionally safe.

We can get down to your birds issues. What's your birds diet? What breeds?

No petal. I have ex-battery girls and hybrid layers. They are genetically prone to this issue. The oyster shell grit does absolutely nothing. The BSFL on the other hand is amazing. Kill them? No it certainly won't kill them, but they'd be in big trouble without it. It has 24,000mgs of calcium per kg. Where are you getting the idea it is low in calcium? The fat content/percentage is halved once it hits moisture/reaches the gut or if it's soaked prior to feeding. This is clinically proven. So that is a myth. They have oyster shell grit left out ad lib. Nobody is replacing anything if you read my comment properly. But the oyster shell grit is useless. That's why they get their BSFL. Anyone with similar issues in the flock should be feeding a couple of handfuls of this in the evening. Do not rely on the oyster shells. They do not help with acute laying and shell issues.

 

[Gigi1983]

does anyone feed grubterra rather than oyster shells? I just started on the grubterra and just wonder what amount is good for a flock of 15 ladies? I've been giving them a 10oz mug in the evening kinda feel like that is too much...

Yeah the Grubterra would be better than the oyster shells for calcium in my experience. I've never found the oyster shell to be of any use. But I'd still leave them out ad lib as a source of grit. Re the Grubterra, a handful daily between 3-4 hens is fine. Better given in the evening time if you're giving it to help with shell issues.

 

[FrostRanger]

Yeah the Grubterra would be better than the oyster shells for calcium in my experience. I've never found the oyster shell to be of any use. But I'd still leave them out ad lib as a source of grit. Re the Grubterra, a handful daily between 3-4 hens is fine. Better given in the evening time if you're giving it to help with shell issues.

Bsfl is not a substitute for oyster shell. It's fine in moderation (less than 10% of their diet) but too much will cause obesity and that can lead to various other issues like fatty liver disease which can be hard to detect until the bird dies from it. Oyster shell is also not a substitute for grit as it gets absorbed by the bird. Both oyster shell and grit are cheap and will last a long time (I'm not even halfway through the big bag I brought for 20 bucks last year). Bsfl is more expensive than oyster shell, doesn't have as much calcium and too much will make them fat

 

[Gigi1983]

Bsfl is not a substitute for oyster shell. It's fine in moderation (less than 10% of their diet) but too much will cause obesity and that can lead to various other issues like fatty liver disease which can be hard to detect until the bird dies from it. Oyster shell is also not a substitute for grit as it gets absorbed by the bird. Both oyster shell and grit are cheap and will last a long time (I'm not even halfway through the big bag I brought for 20 bucks last year). Bsfl is more expensive than oyster shell, doesn't have as much calcium and too much will make them

Bsfl is not a substitute for oyster shell. It's fine in moderation (less than 10% of their diet) but too much will cause obesity and that can lead to various other issues like fatty liver disease which can be hard to detect until the bird dies from it. Oyster shell is also not a substitute for grit as it gets absorbed by the bird. Both oyster shell and grit are cheap and will last a long time (I'm not even halfway through the big bag I brought for 20 bucks last year). Bsfl is more expensive than oyster shell, doesn't have as much calcium and too much will make them fat

1st off nobody said anything about it substituting their layer feed, or BSFL comprising of more than 10% of the diet? Where did you read that in my comment? You give 1 handful between 3-4 hens in the evening time which would be less than 5% of their diet. Secondly, once it hits moisture in the gut or it is soaked prior to feeding the fat content is halved. This is clinically proven. So the whole "it will make your hens fat" idea is a myth. Thirdly, it is high in natural calcium (24,000mg per kg) and phosphorus necessary for laying support and strong shells and outperforms the oyster shell grit, and I can tell you that de facto after using both products for 10 years on ex-battery girls and other hybrid layers that have acute laying and shell issues. Fourthly the oyster shells are comprised of calcium carbonate and can cause kidney issues in excess. 5, no one said not to leave out the oyster shell grit. Where did you read this? And oyster shell grit is a mix of oyster shells and grit btw.