OYSTER SHELLS

[Show Sebright]

If you can’t get oyster shells and you need them to get a high amount of calcium into their system you can feed them Tums for one day because they have a large amount of calcium

 

[azygous]

This is really informative; thanks!
Do you know what kind of calcium is in milk? Is milk of any use to give a quick calcium boost in an emergency?

Calcium in milk is calcium carbonate, directly from grass cows eat, and grass sucks the calcium carbonate right out of the soil which was once sea creatures in an ancient sea. Recycling at its most elegant.

No, milk would not really work for a reproductive crisis. It has only 300 mg of calcium in a cup, and a hen in crisis needs twice that.

 

[Solanacae]

Calcium in milk is calcium carbonate, directly from grass cows eat, and grass sucks the calcium carbonate right out of the soil which was once sea creatures in an ancient sea. Recycling at its most elegant.

Beautiful bit of writing right there.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Great idea about "lacing" their mash ... I usually dump the "dust" from the crushed shells on the ground, have been experimenting with dusting their afternoon refill of fermented feed. Don't want to jinx myself but it's been a week and haven't had any soft shelled eggs from that one hen
Feed store still don't have crushed shells, glad that Amazon does even if I need to pay a bit more. Still thinking the Manna Pro (oyster shell/coral) is not equivalent to the actual crushed Oyster Shells ... That what the whole jest of my posting this thread, wanting to know if you all noticed any "difference" between the two.

Thank you all for your response and knowledge.

I use the manna pro oyster shells and my 5 GLW's dont touch it. They are 1 yr old and one gal gave me a soft egg (first one ever), so i am trying new things. I think i need to find a place where i can get real oysters and crush the shells myself. Would this suffice? These manna pro shells look SO fake! And why so super white in color??

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

All mollusc shells are calcium in the same form. Shell is shell.

Can i find real oyster shells somewhere and crush those???

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Bake them in the oven for a bit, then put on our safety glasses and smash 'em with hammers. At a later time though, not straight after guzzling wine, there would be safety issues.
What sort of pics? My crushed shells, or me consuming oysters and wine?

Omg! Your so funny!

 

[aart]

Can i find real oyster shells somewhere and crush those???

Not likely.

I use the manna pro oyster shells and my 5 GLW's dont touch it. They are 1 yr old and one gal gave me a soft egg (first one ever), so i am trying new things. I think i need to find a place where i can get real oysters and crush the shells myself. Would this suffice? These manna pro shells look SO fake! And why so super white in color??

How are you offering them?
Try sprinkling some around on the ground with some scratch grains.
Try sprinkling a few pieces on top of feed.
Try mixing dried and crushed egg shell in with the OS.

 

[3KillerBs]

Can i find real oyster shells somewhere and crush those???

Unless you live in an oyster-producing area the finding them is the hard part.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Not likely.


How are you offering them?
Try sprinkling some around on the ground with some scratch grains.
Try sprinkling a few pieces on top of feed.
Try mixing dried and crushed egg shell in with the OS.

Hey aart, i will try all of that! Thank you for taking the time! Todays biggest concern tho, is, 3 inches of water in run after constant, heavy rains all night! Never a dull moment

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

if you have an oyster restaurant near you, you may be able to ask them for the shucked shells. You can put them in a pillowcase and hammer them into pieces.