how to "serve" grit & oyster shell

[DurangoCal]

Quote:

 

[SDRosie]

Hi Timo. I'm digging your grit dispenser but wanted to figure out the logistics. What did you use to hold the grit (that black bowl thing-a-ma-jig) and what did you use to secure it to the wall?

Thanks for your time.

 

[Farmerwife1]

I keep oyster shell in the henhouses in heavy duty black rubber bowls from the local feedstore or TSC. Grits not needed when they have dirt runs or free range.

I do feed grit to my birds, even though the have a dirt run. Our soil is not rocky. They assured me at the feed store, if the birds don’t need it, they won’t eat it.

 

[siennacleopatra]

I mix it in with the regular feed so they just eat it like that. I also crush egg shells or snail shells depending on what I have. They don't tend to eat the shells just on their own so I mix

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I mix it in with the regular feed so they just eat it like that. I also crush egg shells or snail shells depending on what I have. They don't tend to eat the shells just on their own so I mix

It's always a good idea to offer grit, oyster shell and egg shells separate from feed (free choice). By mixing it with feed, your hens are having to bill through feed and may be wasting a lot. They don't necessarily have to eat oyster shell or have grit every day-they will take what they need.

 

[Seaecho]

I bought one of these corner feeders and just hung it (it comes with hangers) into the corner of the run. It's aluminum, and I've been using it for months, and no one has pulled it out of the corner. I do see my hens eating out of it.
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[Skipcurt]

I built two separate dispensers for oyster shell & grit. Haven't put the new one yet as they're not ready for the shell yet.

 

[happyfrenchman]

I use it for the path/walkway/apron in front of the coop. It makes an excellent walking surface.

 

[happyfrenchman]

I'm glad I found this thread, since I just started feeding my girls oyster shell as well. I have a quick question though (sorry about hijacking the thread!)... will they ever over eat the shell? Can just having them eat it at will cause any issues? I know the bag I bought says to mix it in with the food in very, very small amounts (one 50 lb bad per TON of chicken feed). But I don't buy my feed by the ton (I have three chickens, not 200) and that equals probably less that a cup or two full per bag. So I worry about too much oyster shell.

Any one have any issues on over doing the oyster shell?

I would not mix it with the food..... they sell food (layer mix) with it already added for calcium.....If all they eat is that they don't need alot of grit. But generally they will pick out what they need if you keep it on the side. I stopped using layer feed and use high protein turkey pellets, so (some say) you need supplemental. But the layer feed is hard on their internal organs, especially the roosters..... I put it down as a walk way, and I will toss them some scratch on that surface, but mostly they just pick iup as they feel.

 

[Harley Chick]

sorry to hijack this post but the oyster shells I got from the co-op has pretty big pieces? I expected it to be more like the chick grit I gave the lil ones? is this typical?