Oyster shell boycott

[kscottjoyce]

I have a few pullets that are starting to lay eggs. Many have a soft shell or no shell at all. For three weeks now I have been mixing oyster shell with the food along with oyster shell out of the coop to pick at. My pullets seem to want nothing to do with the oyster shell at all. Is there an alternative to oyster shell to make sure they are getting enough calcium? Oh and they have been eating layer feed for over a month now and I thought that would provide enough calcium. Thank you for any advice!

 

[Yay Chicks!]

You can clean, dry and crush their egg shells and feed them back to them. Some bake the shells a bit first as that makes them easier to crush.

 

[Tool]

I have read that feeding the crushed egg shells is a great and FREE alternative. But Yay Chicks beat me to it (good idea on the baking thanks). Good luck

 

[nan4848]

A food processor works great for crushing the egg shells. I rinse out the shells and store in a lg. coffee can. When it's full they go in the processor and into a baggie. No need to bake.

 

[Noymira]

I feed clean dry egg shells to my hens, I have not bought any oyster shell and have had no shell problems. I wash them, dry them, then put them in a sandwich bag a crush them with a rolling pin.

Then I mix them with BOSS and cracked corn when I feed treats, they love it!

 

[Yay Chicks!]

I agree that baking is not necessary (and it stinks up the house), but I find that without baking the membrane is still there connecting some of the shell pieces together. Not that big of a deal tho...

 

[Noymira]

Yay Chicks! :

I agree that baking is not necessary (and it stinks up the house), but I find that without baking the membrane is still there connecting some of the shell pieces together. Not that big of a deal tho...

When I wash mine I use my fingers and rub most of the membrane out, it comes off pretty easily for me. I don't bake mine, I just don't have the time for one more thing to cook!

I keep a tupper ware bin lined with paper towels next to my dish drainer, after I finish clearing the counter at night I wash out the shells and let them air dry in there.​

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Could be they don't like the oyster shell mixed in with their food. Mine is served up in a dish to the side. If they want it, they eat it, if not they don't. Dried Egg shells are done the same way. Laying soft shell and no shell is very common when hens begin to lay.

 

[Marshchick]

Oh man! I've just been giving them the shells! Not washed or crushed. No wonder they aren't eating them. Thanks for the advice. I learn something new each day on here!

 

[dainerra]

Quote:
I don't wash or crush mine either. I just smash it in my hand (so it doesn't look like an egg) and throw it in the pen. Sometimes they eat them, sometimes not. Like oyster shells, they eat them if they need them.