Oyster shell price differences.

[Haywire]

This is at my local Southern States farm co-op.

5 lbs of Manna Pro brand oyster shells. $6.99
50 lbs of Coastal brand oyster shells. $10.99

I was stunned at the price difference.

Ian

 

[maybejoey]

Is the manna-pro medicated if it is then that would be why. If you clean the run often then youshould be fine with the Non-medicated cheaper one.

 

[donrae]

We have the same thing at our Grange. The pretty little bags with the cut pic of a chicken on the shelves are 5lbs and about 5-6 dollars, I think. OR, you can get the huge brown sack from the warehouse, no cute pic of a hen on the side and those annoying string closures, fifty pounds for I'm thinking 13 dollars. It's not like the stuff goes bad, so I've got a huge sack sitting in the hay barn.

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
Oyster Shells don't come medicated.


Chris

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
Your paying for the Manna Pro brand name.

Chris

 

[ninabeast]

I know! At my Agway, the 5 lb bag was $7.19, the 50 lb bag was $8.99. Hmmmm, let me think about that for a bit...tough decision...

I'm glad it's not just me. I thought I was going crazy.

 

[Haywire]

Quote:
Wanna bet? LOL. Got the 50lb bag down at the barn.

Put some out though, and the chickens were not impressed. Of course they aren't laying, so I suppose there's no demand for calcium till they start.

Ian

 

[ChickenAl]

Same silly price structure with their grit. It's a no brainer to get the bigger bag and be done with it.

 

[Oregon Blues]

You pay for convenience.

People with only 1-2 birds don't want to lug around a 50 pound bag. They want a little bag. So they get to pay for the extra handling and extra packaging.

Around here, you go into the feed store and pay nearly as much for a Ziploc of oyster shell that weighs 3 pounds as you'd pay for the 50 pound bag. I don't think it has much to do with brand names, since the Ziploc doesn't have any label at all and one of the store's employees has scooped some oyster shell out and put it into a small package.

 

[duckinnut]

I made the mistake of buying the little bag one time, think it was $5.99. But since have bought the 50lb for $8.99 like a 10 months ago. Same thing with cracked corn at the feed store I go to. Its like a 10/15lb bag for $7.50 thats geared towards the backyard feeder people and a 50lb for $11. But anytime you buy volume its going to be a better deal. Convienence= costly- plain and simple.