oyster shells

[jones-e]

hello there,i am a brand new backyard chickener with 20 hens and one rooster and was wandering how often do i give the hens oyster shells.their eating the egglayers pellets now and does my rooster need a different diet then the hens or will he do alright on egglayers pellets.thank you have a great day!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to this forum. Get ready to meet some nice people.

The rooster can eat what the hens eat. Don't worry.

Layer feed contains extra calcium. If the hens are getting enough calcium, they don't absolutely have to have oyster shell. You can tell if they are getting enough by how thick the egg shells are. They can get calcium from the layer feed, the bugs they eat, or the grit they get if it is limestone.

What many people do is put the oyster shells in a separate container and let them eat it as they wish. The theory is that they will only eat what they need. I would not mix the oyster shell with the regular feed because you are them forcing them to eat extra calcium whether they need it or not.

 

[jones-e]

thanks for the info ridgerunner.hope you have eggsellent day!

 

[DTchickens]

Baked egg shells also can replace Oyster shells.. Baking them kills any bacteria.. and then you crush them up.. No worries of them getting any "Taste" for eggs.

 

[Cindy in PA]

Quote:
I just got limestone today (calcium chips), because the mill no longer carries oyster shell. Granite grit is what I use for "grit". While the limestone is stone, won't it disolve like the oyster shell and NOT be a good source of grit for the gizzard?? Just curious, as I thought granite grite was the standard.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Granite grit is harder than many other types of rock and will last longer. However, chickens themselves don't know the difference between dolomite, granite, quartz or any other type of rock. If they are free ranging, they will use whatever is available. If it happens to be a softer stone like limestone, it will be ground up faster than a granite and will pass through their system. They will then have to eat more to replenish the grit in their gizzard so they can grind up their food. As long as the stone is harder than the bug shells or grains they eat, it can be used as grit.

Granite is the standard that you buy because it is harder and lasts longer. I'm not sure where the granite grit we buy comes from. I'd guess it is a by-product of some process that makes it cheap and readily available.

 

[BawkinOnTheBench]

I live in Utah, and called up both local farm supply stores asking about getting a bag of ground up limestone. Neither place had it. Any recommendations where I can get some?
Thanks