is this necessary?

[annie3001]

hello.
Do i need to give my laying hens oyster?
I never in the past, just wondering? Mine are free ranged, on good weather?
thanks in advance!

 

[BellLisamo]

It what most prefer to give. BUT you can dry out their own eggs and crush them really tiny, and give those to them...

Most people bake them in the oven... I skip that step, and never had any problems. I would just wash them before.

 

[jeremy]

It depends on your hens- how are their egg shells? Hard, smoothly textured and of overall even shape/size?

If not, then yes, they need the oyster shell.

 

[Countrywife]

How are your shells? I have never fed oyster shell, and my girls lay eggs it about takes a sledgehammer to crack. I am afraid if I supplement I will never get the eggs open. At 5:00 a.m. I hate fighting with egg shells!

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
Other than free ranging them, what are you feeding them? Are they getting a Layer or a breeder feed? Are the getting lots of treats?
I would say if you are feeding the a good layer or a decent breeder feed and not giving them a lot of treats you should be fine with out oyster shells..

Chris

 

[Wynette]

The thing to remember with oyster shell is that if they don't have a source for extra calcium, their bodies will take it from their bones, making them weak over time. Oyster shell is inexpensive, so to me, it's not worth it to not offer it free-choice. But that's just me!

 

[fordmommy]

I don't give them any. The layer that I use has what they need already in it. Never had a problem. And actually my mother commited something to the effect....."What do you feed your girls. Concret? I can't hardly brake those eggs!" So we're good here.

 

[Warthog]

I have never fed mine oyster shell, we can't get it here. I do howeever feed the egg shells back to them, sometimes they eat them sometimes they don't, they obvioulsy know when and if they need it.

I don't have a problem with shells either, very hard. Mine do free range all day, don't know if that makes any difference.

 

[annie3001]

Thanks everyone for the responses!
i did buy it from the farm supply store today. gave it to them. just a bit. there egg shells are nice and hard. so perhaps ill just hang on to it for a bit. thanks again everyone!