oyster shells?

[professor-yellow]

As far as a calcium supplement ( which oyster shell is used for) I use the egg shells from consumed eggs. Collect till the pie pan is full, then put in the oven at 350 for 15 minutes, then crush them up and scatter in the yard.

I especially give supplememnt to the laying ducks, chickens are fine with the layer feed, but the feed is formulated for chickens, not ducks.

 

[bigzio]

Chickens don't have teeth, so grit is needed to grind up the feed in the gizzard so the nutrition in the feed is absorbed by the bird.

Grit is not necessary if you only feed commercial feed. Once you add grains to the diet, then you need to provide grit. They include corn, scratch grains, sunflower seeds, and other treats.

If your birds free range then they find grit on a constant basis, while on their constant conquest for nutrition.

Oyster shells and eggshells are to provide calcium to the hens that their bodys need to replace the losses from laying eggs.

Both important, both different, and both necessary.... hope this helps.

bigzio