How to get your hens to eat oyster shells

My girls only like flaked oyster. I can only find it at one store, and it's a good hour away and is often out. Ugh. I hate it.

Someone on BYC (can't remember who, forgive me) has a mixed flock and occasionally puts out plain Greek yogurt with added calcium. I've recently started doing that. I'm not 100% sure how much of it my rooster eats, but I don't think it's enough to harm him. I hope.

Another BYCer mixes all flock with layer, so the calcium is increased for the females and diluted for the males. My flock had a rough spell earlier this year, so I switched to layer. All egg quality issues were resolved.

If only my rooster had been a girl like he was supposed to be...
 
I took a small thick plastic dog bowl and drilled a bunch of small holes in the bottom in case any moisture got in it could drain out. I put a brick down in the coop and fastened the bowl down with zip ties and keep it full of purina brand oyster shell for my hens, sometimes it has a lot of powder in it so I sift it with a tea strainer so the powder won't clog the holes in the bowl. So far they eat it good and never have had a soft shell egg.
 
My girls only like flaked oyster. I can only find it at one store, and it's a good hour away and is often out. Ugh. I hate it.

Someone on BYC (can't remember who, forgive me) has a mixed flock and occasionally puts out plain Greek yogurt with added calcium. I've recently started doing that. I'm not 100% sure how much of it my rooster eats, but I don't think it's enough to harm him. I hope.

Another BYCer mixes all flock with layer, so the calcium is increased for the females and diluted for the males. My flock had a rough spell earlier this year, so I switched to layer. All egg quality issues were resolved.

If only my rooster had been a girl like he was supposed to be...
Yes! ! Mine are so picky about what type. I found a good one, i’ll try and find the name and link it here if i can.
 
The only one ove found is Vibrant Life at Walmart, for heaven's sake. I drive out there and buy every bag. Luckily, it's cheap.

If you have another brand, I am all ears!
I found a flaked one in tractor supply. I can’t remember the better one i got but i know i got them dumor calcium this time. They seem to occasionally eat it, not sure how much they like it though. I’ll have to try Vibrant Life.
 
The only one ove found is Vibrant Life at Walmart, for heaven's sake. I drive out there and buy every bag. Luckily, it's cheap.

If you have another brand, I am all ears!
Small Pet Select Flaked oyster shell, Chewy and Amazon have it (don't get it through the small pet select website, it's double the price) $12/5lbs or $23/10lbs I believe
 
Chickens are picky when it comes to certain things they put in there mouth. Try taking a handful of oyster shell place it in a cloth bag and smash it with a hammer to make it smaller.

I've never allowed my kids to be picky eaters and I'm certainly not putting up with picky chickens.

They eat what I put in the feeder or go hungry.

They use the calcium I provide or they don't get any.

They always choose to eat what I provide -- though when it comes to calcium they'll ignore it for a while then suddenly eat it all and then back to ignoring it for a while.
 

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