help needed regarding Oyster Shell

[Wexford Chuck]

Hi there , i live 5mins walk from our local oyster farm at the estuary and often see hundreds of oyster shells lying on the beach, i was wondering if i could use them for my hens. if so is there anything special i have to do to the shells before i introduce them to my hens. any help would be appreciated as i have no idea on the subject.

 

[faykokoWV]

The oyster shell has to be crushed. If you have some way of doing that it would be fine.

 

[ShaggysGirl]

Besides crushing them I think I would feel better washing and maybe drying them in the oven to kill any germs or bacteria

 

[Wexford Chuck]

i will try that thanks but first i have 30 oysters to eat

. any recipes for oysters as i think i might get ill

if i eat all 30.

 

[catwalk]

Kill the germs, for sure, and then crush them. If you find a good way to do it, please post. I have access to clam shells, and I've been putting them in a bag and smashing them with a hammer. Pieces fly everywhere, the bag gets destroyed, etc.... I am thinking of making a tamper out of a soup can, rake handle, and cement. Don protective eyewear, put a few shells in a larger juice can, and start pounding away! Please note that this crushing method is all in my head. I have no idea if it will work. I'm thinking I'll have to bolt the big can to a board that I can stand on to keep it from falling over. I'm also thinking that I'll pull the tamper out too far and slam it down on the edge of the big can (or my foot). Might have to make it taller somehow.......

 

[helloroe]

We have an oyster bar 2 blocks from our home so I can get them free there as he just dumps them. I leave a bucket on a Saturday and he filled it that night. I came home and boiled them in a pot over the outside fire we were burning. I have not broken them up yet. My breaking up idea is in a heavy duty medical waste (thicker) plastic bag (husband is paramedic) on cement driveway for each time I come in and out for a few days or a hammer on a really bad day as a frustration reliever.

 

[Wexford Chuck]

Quote:
i boiled the shells for 30 mins and then put them into a hot oven for 1hr then placed shells into a plastic bag and pummelled with a lump hammer, and this seems to have done the trick

 

[RendonRoo]

I bought a 50 lb bag for about 10 bucks or less. At the rate they are consuming it i figure it will last about 5 years. Not worth my time to smash shells. I also recycle my egg shells and they seem to prefer them over the O.S. My biggest concern with them off the beach is the salt that they may contain so i would definately wash them well.

 

[lilmouthy]

Wow...50 #s for less than 10.00...great deal. I bought some a couple weeks ago...had to pay 6.00 for a 5 # bag. I nearly didn't get it,but my hens have started laying soft shell eggs,so knew they needed it.