Oyster Shell?

[BirdsBeesTrees]

A long time ago (4 years) we stopped giving our chickens oyster shell. For some reason our chickens kept getting them lodged in their throat and would die. I've been trying to find some that is more ground up but then I'm reading that the ground up oyster shell is bad for chickens. We are using bags of feed currently but are going to a bulk poultry ration from Purina this week, and I'd like to give them some free choice calcium but I don't want to lose any chickens. What alternative can I give?

 

[Henriettamom919]

I use this and its flaked and wafer thin.

https://www.bing.com/images/search?...ectedindex=3&ajaxhist=0&vt=4&eim=1,2,6&sim=11

 

[Henriettamom919]

Some people clean, bake and crush their chickens egg shells and feed those back, as well.

 

[Alaskan]

A long time ago (4 years) we stopped giving our chickens oyster shell. For some reason our chickens kept getting them lodged in their throat and would die. I've been trying to find some that is more ground up but then I'm reading that the ground up oyster shell is bad for chickens. We are using bags of feed currently but are going to a bulk poultry ration from Purina this week, and I'd like to give them some free choice calcium but I don't want to lose any chickens. What alternative can I give?

That is just the oddest thing.....

I guess I would keep poking about to see what else might have contributed to the deaths....

Because I have never heard of that happening......

But yes, if you need a different calcium source... egg shells are great....

 

[texsuze]

Egg shells work for me. Rinse, hit with a good zapping in the microwave, cool and crush. I use a mortar and pestle, and try to have a variety of sizes, from tiny sprinkles to the size of a pencil eraser head. Kind of labor intensive, but my girls usually pick the eggshells selectively over the oyster shell. I provide a separate dish from the chicken feed for these calcium supplements.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Egg shells work for me. Rinse, hit with a good zapping in the microwave, cool and crush. I use a mortar and pestle, and try to have a variety of sizes, from tiny sprinkles to the size of a pencil eraser head. Kind of labor intensive, but my girls usually pick the eggshells selectively over the oyster shell. I provide a separate dish from the chicken feed for these calcium supplements.

Gotta say I'm loving the microwave tip! I have way too much to do to wait for baking egg shells.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Does anyone know what maximum amount percentage wise of calcium is ok for turkeys, ducks, peacocks?

 

[Alaskan]

I just always feed on the side....

 

[50-45-1]

I never bake my egg shells.
I simply put them in a small slatted box ( tangerine box) and put them in my enclosed sun deck. I have 2 boxes going. When the second box gets full, the first box is dried enough to crush.
It smells pretty bad to me when they are baking, and i wonder how much calcium and nutrition i am distroying from the high heat of the oven.
Also i find it highly unlikely your chickens died from oyster shell.. it was something else.
Do your birds free range?
Do you also offer them granite grit?
Without grit in their gizard, a chicken can literally starve to death, and have all kinds of food avaliable.
I offer free choice oyster shell and grit year around. Never had a problem.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I never bake my egg shells.
I simply put them in a small slatted box ( tangerine box) and put them in my enclosed sun deck. I have 2 boxes going. When the second box gets full, the first box is dried enough to crush.
It smells pretty bad to me when they are baking, and i wonder how much calcium and nutrition i am distroying from the high heat of the oven.
Also i find it highly unlikely your chickens died from oyster shell.. it was something else.
Do your birds free range?
Do you also offer them granite grit?
Without grit in their gizard, a chicken can literally starve to death, and have all kinds of food avaliable.
I offer free choice oyster shell and grit year around. Never had a problem.

Yes I feed grit of course. No they do not free range. I've never had problems with my eggs using bagged feed. I just got a shipment of 1 ton of feed from the co-op and wanted to make sure I still have no problems with my eggs with the new ration. Yes I'm sure it was the oyster shell the birds were choking and clawing at there throat. They had oyster shell in their throat and we couldn't get it dislodged and the chicken died. We didn't know why. Then two more died and we took the oyster shell out and didn't lose anymore. Just because you haven't heard of it doesn't mean it's not true. I don't mean to come off rude but I'm not asking how my chickens died I already know, I'm asking for alternate forms of calcium for chickens.