Must the shells be oysters?

[Jay and Mic]

We're a bit short of oysters down here in Cape Town. Or at least cheep oyster shells (I know, that was a cheep pun). Can I use any shells from the beach, e.g. mussels, abalone, whatever. Will the salt be a problem?

Jay

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Salt is not good for chickens. But, an inexpensive way to give them calcium is through their eggshells.

Here's a link.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/eggshells-for-laying-hens

 

[Percheron chick]

Shells are all the same basic composition of calcium carbonate. You can interchange them. You need to be able to crush them with a hammer so the pieces are small enough for them to eat. Just rinse them or if you boil them that's fine. You can also use limestone or feed back their egg shells.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

We're a bit short of oysters down here in Cape Town. Or at least cheep oyster shells (I know, that was a cheep pun). Can I use any shells from the beach, e.g. mussels, abalone, whatever. Will the salt be a problem?

Jay

I am sorry that you must shell out so much for sea shells in South Africa. Yes I know that is just another cheep-cheep chicken pun.

Pure crushed limestone rock, sea shells, and even marble are all 3 calcium carbonate. Commercial sea food packers and processors however are a good cheep and steady shell source and that imho is why oyster shell is used extensively by egg producers.

Oysters grow in the same salt water as other bivalves so I don't see salt as being a problem. In fact I would think that if sea shells in general had a high Sodium Chloride content that they would dissolve right off the backs of the oysters and other bivalves living in the ocean.

A stamping or hammer mill may make a great shell grinder and perhaps you'll start a new industry in your home country by grinding up shells for chickens. Good luck but if your going to bust up shells by hand with a hammer be sure to use eye protection.

 

[Jay and Mic]

"You need at least three eggshells for each hen a day"

That's the rub, isn't it.

 

[Den in Penn]

That is the thing that people often forget about feeding back egg shells, calcium is lost from the system. Even if the hen could process the calcium totally (which she can't) there would still be lose to the other needs of the hens body as well as the eggs that leave the coop to family, friends and such.