How to get your hens to eat oyster shells

[Aunt Angus]

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.

Oh, I agree, but when my ducks started to have significant laying problems, I caved.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Oh, I agree, but when my ducks started to have significant laying problems, I caved.

This 100%. For feed everyone gets what I put in their dish except when it comes to oyster shells. I have found metal shards in the cheaper oyster shells, I have noticed a considerable difference in shell quality when I use the grey flaked shells vs. the standard white pebbles and my ducks seem to have a easier time eating the flaked shells. Those three reasons make it worth it for me personally to spend the extra money.

 

[Chicken poppy]

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.

Certain things? No, my chickens don’t dig for themselves. If thats not considered spoiled i have no idea what is. Im sitting out there doing all the labor to get them grub worms! Snots.

 

[Redheadhomestead]

I have an entire feeder of just free choice oyster shell and they never touched it. When I scatter hand fulls of oyster shell across the ground in the run they peck it up like a treat.

 

[Chicken love to infinity]

OMG, I'm sitting here giving you advice, and this morning I got my first shellless egg from my 7-month-old. Maybe she doesn't like the taste of OS??

 

[Kiki]

Today I came across my first shell-less egg. I make sure to have oyster shell in the run but they seem to never eat it. How do I get them to eat it? Maybe I should tell them no treats until they finish their oyster shell...

Is there a reason why you don't feed them a layer type feed?

 

[NatJ]

Is there a reason why you don't feed them a layer type feed?

OP does feed layer feed, and showed a photo of the tag:

View attachment 3308201

This feed is always available via tub feeder

 

[MACCanadianCoop]

My ladies were not touching the oyster shell I had out for them but they love the eggshell crumbles i throw in the run. So I got sneaky and put the eggshells in the oyster shell container and they seem to have eaten both.

 

[Tiny Tails Rabbitry 101]

Today I came across my first shell-less egg. I make sure to have oyster shell in the run but they seem to never eat it. How do I get them to eat it? Maybe I should tell them no treats until they finish their oyster shell...

Chickens will eat it only if they need it. Do not mix it in with ANYTHING to trick them into eating it because you might overdo it.

 

[Judy Todd]

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.

Hurray, common sense, I am on your page, no picky kids, no picky chickens. No problems!!