Oyster shell?

Bebo0707

In the Brooder
9 Years
Apr 5, 2010
10
0
22
When do I start to feed my chicken oyster shells ? They have tree different runs. Two are grass and one is sand. Will the sand take the place of the oyster shell? I really don't know what they need it for. Thanks
 
Oyster shell is a good source of extra calcium which is helpful for producing good strong eggshells in laying hens. You don't need to provide it until they are laying or at point of lay. Most commercial feeds have supplemental calcium, but I've found that my hens' eggs have much stronger, thicker shells when they have oyster shell available. I just have it in a little rabbit feeder attached to the wall of the coop - my 28 hens go thru about 3 cups of it in 2 months. It is not the same as grit, which is an insoluble granite or some similar small rock/pebble offering that is necessary for digestion of various things - if the chickens have access to dirt and little pebbles, they will find their own grit-equivalent.
 
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After using our eggs, we rinse them out, let them dry and then crush to feed back to the girls. Cut the bottom of a container off and nailed it to the wall. They eat it when they need it. Haven't used oyster shells because the egg shells seem to be working for us.
 
We started mixing oyster shells in with their feed at about 14 weeks...

we buy 50 lbs of feed and mix 2-3 lbs of oyster shell with it in a large plastic tub...we've never had a soft shell egg so far..."keeping fingers crossed"...
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editted cuz I can't type...
 
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I just put it in a pet bowl and placed it in the run for whomever wanted or needed it. I see my one RIR that is laying munching once in awhile. Her shells have been perfect.
 

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