Oyster shells?

[emimiller8]

To give oyster shells to the flock do I just stick the entire shell in the coop or run and they will pick at it? Or do I need to break it up somehow?

 

[Angiebubs]

Emi: The oyster shell that everyone refers to is something you buy by the bag and it is crushed up and I believe processed somehow.(Not an actual oysters shell)

 

[emimiller8]

Thanks, I will look into that then

 

[chfite]

It is sold crushed.

Chris

 

[Mac in Wisco]

To give oyster shells to the flock do I just stick the entire shell in the coop or run and they will pick at it? Or do I need to break it up somehow?

If you do have access to whole oyster shells just break them up with a hammer until you have something along the line of Cheerio sized pieces. You don't have to worry about making them all that uniform as they will eat the finer pieces as well as some pretty large pieces.

 

[CogSci]

How do you feed oyster shells, separate or with other food?

 

[gimmie birdies]

I save and dry my eggs and crush'm.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

How do you feed oyster shells, separate or with other food?

Just leave them out in a separate feeder. Don't mix extra in their feed as too much is bad for them. They'll eat what they need when they need it.

 

[Angiebubs]

Its interesting there have been so many posts lately about people having eggs with bumps or sandpaper texture. I recently started adding oyster shell in the feed along with the bucket of oyster shell due to finidng a softshell egg. Well, after researching, it sounds like they usually need more in the summer, but int he winter due to less free ranging, they often times have access calcium which adds the lil bumps to the shells. My soft shell was most likely due to new pullets laying..live and learn.

 

[Lupa Duende]

Angiebubs has it.
Because my chooks do not leap about in the cold weather as much they are far more dependant on what i provide.
(I feed them next to nothing in the summer as they range over the whole property.)
I have offered oyster shells in the past in a separate spot..., one can buy 25kg bags at Tractor Supply or many other shops..., even some Wal-Marts.
With our budget tightening owing to insane veterinary bills i now simply bake, crush, and dump used eggshells. I bake them at 300 F..., when i turn the oven off after baking..., in an empty tin or whever to burn off the "egginess". My children pound them with a potato masher or mortar and pestle..., whichever is not currently being fought over..., the chicken recycle their own waste!