Oyster shells??

[Courtney R]

On here i c alot of ppl saying that they feed their chickens oyster shells 4 calcium? i feed mines egg shells that i put in the microwave and crack into smaller pieces and mix w/ their feed or most of the time throw it out w/ them. But w/ the oyster shells- apparently alot of ppl feed it 2 their chickens- QWhere do u even get the oyster shells from???

 

[ChickensRDinos]

They sell them at any feed or tractor supply store. They are usually little hard grey flakes. If you are feeding a layer feed them you probably do not need to buy them. If you are feeder a grower, flock raiser or game bird feed them it is a good idea to have some source of calcium always available on the side.

 

[donrae]

You buy oyster shell from your feed store.

I also feed my shells back to my hen, I don't do anything but crack the egg open then toss all the shells back in the run. You don't need to microwave them or anything.

I do find even with feeding shells back sometimes my hens get thin shells. It makes sense, you can't keep recycling the same calcium, you're going to lose some over time. So the oyster shell adds a little boost.

My young hens don't seem to need it as much, it's the older girls.

 

[Courtney R]

Thnx, cuz i feed mines Gamebirds/ Showbird Feed and i nvr notices the oyster shells in a feed store, nxt time i will look

 

[Courtney R]

Yea bout the loosing more calcium if u throw it back, that makes sense. But if u dont crush the shell up good enough, somtimez it can hurt them. When i microwave it , it makes them more britle

 

[donrae]

Those shells can not hurt a chicken if they're not crushed up. The chicken is plenty capable of crushing the shells on her own.

 

[Courtney R]

well u nevr kno, and i was tellin u wat i do

 

[Courtney R]

... and i said "sometimez" they mite swallow 1 whole and it can cut them

 

[donrae]

Well I absolutely bow to your superior knowledge of chicken keeping

I really need to stick to the old timers thread...........................

 

[Courtney R]

Good, cuz i certaintly dont want u 2 say anymore. And dont gotta b such a smart allic