My girls aren't touching their Oyster Shells

[Spetznaaz]

Hello,

I switched our two Silkies onto growers feed (we don't have the other one that isn't layers feed in the U.K, i forget the name) and gave them a tuna can of oyster shells in their coop. I was under the impression that if they needed extra calcium they would know to eat it and regulate how much themselves. By the looks of it they haven't touched it in the 3 weeks it's been there. The egg shells feel normal, although i'm no expert.

Does anyone know if this is a problem?

 

[Brooks_]

The egg shells feel normal

I'd not be concerned yet. You can try mixing egg shell into the oyster shell to entice them to it more. What is your soil like? Your environment may be calcium rich providing much of what they need. Could you get a pic or link to the nutritional tag of the feed?

 

[Spetznaaz]

I'd not be concerned yet. You can try mixing egg shell into the oyster shell to entice them to it more. What is your soil like? Your environment may be calcium rich providing much of what they need. Could you get a pic or link to the nutritional tag of the feed?

The soil has lot's of clay and rubble in it, that's about all i know lol

The feed i'm currently using is below although i am planning to switch to an organic growers feed soon.

 

[Brooks_]

The calcium is right where it should be for grower, so no boost there. Can you weigh the OS to see if they're eating it, just not noticeable to the eye?

 

[Spetznaaz]

The calcium is right where it should be for grower, so no boost there. Can you weigh the OS to see if they're eating it, just not noticeable to the eye?

That's a good idea, i'll try weighing it.

I do wonder, perhaps the oyster shell fragments are too big for them, being bantams. They look like they would scratch their throats on the way down. I know bantams usually need smaller grit, perhaps it's the same for oyster shells. Would crushing them up a bit more be okay?

 

[Brooks_]

That's a good idea, i'll try weighing it.

I do wonder, perhaps the oyster shell fragments are too big for them, being bantams. They look like they would scratch their throats on the way down. I know bantams usually need smaller grit, perhaps it's the same for oyster shells. Would crushing them up a bit more be okay?

Yeah, be sure to wear safety glasses tho.

 

[K0k0shka]

Chickens tend to not like oyster shell. It's unnatural to them (where would a chicken ever encounter an oyster to know what to do with it?) Some can get used to it and eat it, grudgingly, if they have nothing else, others will flat out refuse and end up laying soft shelled eggs eventually. How long it takes for them to start laying soft shelled eggs, depends on a lot of things - you won't notice it right away, but by the time you notice it, they might have depleted other calcium reserves in their bodies that they need for other things, like bone strength. So it's not a good idea to let it get to that. They much prefer eggshells, and in nature (back when chickens were a natural animal, which right now they are not, as they've been heavily domesticated and shaped by humans) that's what they would do to replenish their calcium reserves - they'd eat the shells after their chicks hatch. Domesticated chickens lay a lot more heavily than any natural bird though, so they need a lot more calcium than what the environment can usually provide. Give them crushed eggshells instead of oyster shell and they'll be happy!

 

[Spetznaaz]

Chickens tend to not like oyster shell. It's unnatural to them (where would a chicken ever encounter an oyster to know what to do with it?) Some can get used to it and eat it, grudgingly, if they have nothing else, others will flat out refuse and end up laying soft shelled eggs eventually. How long it takes for them to start laying soft shelled eggs, depends on a lot of things - you won't notice it right away, but by the time you notice it, they might have depleted other calcium reserves in their bodies that they need for other things, like bone strength. So it's not a good idea to let it get to that. They much prefer eggshells, and in nature (back when chickens were a natural animal, which right now they are not, as they've been heavily domesticated and shaped by humans) that's what they would do to replenish their calcium reserves - they'd eat the shells after their chicks hatch. Domesticated chickens lay a lot more heavily than any natural bird though, so they need a lot more calcium than what the environment can usually provide. Give them crushed eggshells instead of oyster shell and they'll be happy!

Thank you for the info, it certainly makes sense. I've got about 7 dirty eggs that i'm not going to eat so i'll start by giving them the shells from those.

Would the egg shells definitely provide enough calcium? This is what i'm thinking: Let's say the hens uses 10g of calcium for 1 egg shell. If they ate every last bit of that shell they would get 10g calcium back - however - like most things i doubt the process is 100 percent efficient so i'd imagine there would be a deficit of calcium. I guess the calcium in the growers feed should make up for any shortfall?

 

[K0k0shka]

I've got about 7 dirty eggs that i'm not going to eat so i'll start by giving them the shells from those.

Why not eat them? Wash them well and you'll be fine. You can still give the chickens the shells, without wasting the eggs themselves. They only need the shells anyway.

Would the egg shells definitely provide enough calcium? This is what i'm thinking: Let's say the hens uses 10g of calcium for 1 egg shell. If they ate every last bit of that shell they would get 10g calcium back - however - like most things i doubt the process is 100 percent efficient so i'd imagine there would be a deficit of calcium. I guess the calcium in the growers feed should make up for any shortfall?

You're right, it's not 100% but the only rule you need to keep in mind is that there's always eggshells in the bowl. If they start to run out and you don't have any to replace them with, then you can ask a neighbor to donate their eggshells from cooking, or if you buy eggs when your hens are molting or slowed down/stopped for winter, then save those shells, too, to use when the hens resume laying in the spring. My hens stop completely in winter and I have to buy eggs, but I save all the shells (bake them to speed up the drying process, then store in jars - you can't store them fresh and moist or the egg residue will go bad and stink, so you have to dry them first, and a quick trip through the oven speeds that up).

Oyster shell is a very modern invention when it comes to chickens, and it's very regional. Not everybody has access to it. I grew up rural (in Europe) and we hadn't even heard of oyster shell back in the day, we just gave the chickens their eggshells back. That's what I do now, too - save the shells from my own eggs and any eggs I buy. I've never used oyster shell or layer feeds with added calcium, and I don't get soft shelled eggs.

 

[Sussex19]

My hens love their shell, so I don't thinks its quite correct to say that chickens don't like it.
As long as the shells of their eggs are good, they are probably getting enough from your soil.