Just bought oyster shell, it looks HUGE for bantams! Is it okay?

[lceh]

My DD has a little flock of bantams, about 20 weeks old now. They've been laying for a few weeks and the eggshells are nice and hard. We've been buying chick grit for them, thinking the standard stuff is too big for them. Today we bought oyster shell for them for the first time. We bought it by the pound at Southern States, and I was shocked at how big -- and jagged -- the chunks looked next to the chick grit. Can bantams handle that? They're not the teeny tiny bantys (see below -- the smallest is a MF D'Uccle, the biggest a buff Brahma). DD and I decided to hold off on giving it to them until we got some advice from some experienced BYCers. I'm also wondering if they really need the smaller grit or can handle the "regular" size.

 

[Namble]

I think it would be OK for them. I'm no expert though!

 

[swheat]

Mine have no problem with oyster shells. I give it to all of my bantams-Cochins, Silkies, Polish, Japanese, Rosecombs & Seramas.
They also need grit. I found some white pigeon grit, I like it much better than the red grit...the white doesn't stain the birds feathers when they pick at it.

 

[LynneP]

Wow what a good question. I'm wondering if you happened to get the larger siftings and whether they should be crushed more. I think I'd sift to get the worst out and think about whether I wanted to crush them myself or throw on the garden to sweeten the soil, and get more...