I don't know if Im feeding the right chick feed…

[SunnySid3Up]

We do not have silkies. I have crushed egg shells in a container and have not noticed the chicks going to it. How do you set up the oyster shell container when you have chicks? We have 2 & 3 month old chicks that free range with the flock.

I dont feed oyster shell till they are around 14 weeks of age cause it can be harmful before they can properly digest it.

 

[Debbie292d]

We do not have silkies. I have crushed egg shells in a container and have not noticed the chicks going to it. How do you set up the oyster shell container when you have chicks? We have 2 & 3 month old chicks that free range with the flock.

Hubby made little holders for my dishes to be off the ground. The problem with that is your chicks might jump on those.

In this dilemma, I think I'd put a small dish in the corner of their hen boxes or somewhere the young ones can't or won't get to it.

I had an incident with two-week-old baby chicks being brought by the hen to the oyster shell dish that was tipped over and scratched around. They ate it for probably several days and wound up lame. We treated them with various herbs and did physical therapy for two weeks. Nothing we did could save them, as their leg nerves run through their kidneys. Their kidneys got damaged by too much calcium. We had to cull three out of six of them.

 

[C Siena]

Hubby made little holders for my dishes to be off the ground. The problem with that is your chicks might jump on those.

In this dilemma, I think I'd put a small dish in the corner of their hen boxes or somewhere the young ones can't or won't get to it.

I had an incident with two-week-old baby chicks being brought by the hen to the oyster shell dish that was tipped over and scratched around. They ate it for probably several days and wound up lame. We treated them with various herbs and did physical therapy for two weeks. Nothing we did could save them, as their leg nerves run through their kidneys. Their kidneys got damaged by too much calcium. We had to cull three out of six of them.

Maybe I'll take up the egg shell unless I'm out there. The hens don't want it in the morning but eat it mid afternoon and evening. The 2 month old chicks go everywhere both coops! The 3 month ones, only go into their own coop.

I was putting out more egg shells (only in one container) for the past 3 weeks, due to their gorging on cicadas and not eating as much of their feed.

 

[Debbie292d]

Maybe I'll take up the egg shell unless I'm out there. The hens don't want it in the morning but eat it mid afternoon and evening. The 2 month old chicks go everywhere both coops! The 3 month ones, only go into their own coop.

I was putting out more egg shells (only in one container) for the past 3 weeks, due to their gorging on cicadas and not eating as much of their feed.

That's a good idea. If you forget, no biggy. Going without it a day or two isn't going to hurt much. You'd probably start getting weak or soft shells if they were without it for a length of time though.

 

[C Siena]

That's a good idea. If you forget, no biggy. Going without it a day or two isn't going to hurt much. You'd probably start getting weak or soft shells if they were without it for a length of time though.

Don't spank me...I didn't begin to add the egg shells until the 7 oldest were almost 2 and the next group were 11 months. I fed a 16% layer, with treats such as but not limited to: blueberries, sweet potato, apple, zucchini, pineapple, meat/protein, sunflower seeds, cat kibble (Barn Cat). I would make sure the fruits/veggies would not lower the protein %, Barn Cat is a 30% protein kibble (with calcium) that was feed to the outdoor cats, which we no longer have but still get it from neighbor for limited chicken treats.

I now know to offer it on the side. They were eating it more with the cicadas but have slowed down the last couple of days. Still learning and reading much on BYC.