Oyster shells question

[NarleevilleClucks]

I started mixing oyster shell in with their food at 18 weeks to boos calcium for their first eggs. I've noticed that they often times pick the pellets around it though, and don't really chow on the shell. I bet they know if they need it or not and if they start needing it they'll eat it more. Instincts are great, so the shell is there if they want it. It's so cheap I'm thinking better to have it for them than not.

 

[Jossy J]

I have a hen who is only 9 months old and the shell of her eggs is thin and breaks easily. She is on a complete feed crumble so I thought she would get enough calcium. I bought a bag of oyster shells from the feed mill last week but on the instructions it says it has silica in it and all kinds of warnings. This stuff is harmful to breathe!

Anyone else had this issue? I'm leary of feeding stuff that is harmful to us and perhaps to the chickens as well.

 

[chookchick]

I'm going to disagree about waiting until they lay. They will only eat the oystershell if they need it, and you cannot predict when they will start, so they may not have the reserves they need. My pullets were cowing down the oystershell, even though I was mixing layer food with the last of the grower. Let them figure out what and how much of it they need! I let the pan run out for a few days, and started to get soft shells (common with new layers).

 

[lambchicks]

I had one that needed oyster shell ( had a very thin shell egg) and she started foraging constantly instead of eating out of the feeder. I gave her some crushed egg shells until I could get to the farm store. That seems to have cleared up the shell-less egg problem. So maybe watch their feeding habits.

 

[mdbokc]

I feed my Orps layer feed once the eggs appeared. They also go through a small dog bowl of free oyster shell each week. I keep a small bowl of grit beside the oyster shell and they eat that too. Mine free range about 2-3 hours a day.