Oyster shells

[EmilieD]

I was thinking about getting some oyster shells because my youngest bird tends to lay soft eggs. How small do they need to be? Do you mix them with the feed or provide them separately?

 

[TwoCrows]

Yes, you need to always offer up oystershell. Keep it on the side so the hens can decide exactly how much they need. Each bird is different.

Some feed stores sell it crushed or ground. And some feeds stores will sell the type of oystershell for automatic oystershell dispensers. I use this stuff since I keep chickens as well. It has some that is ground to nearly powder on up to small shell pieces. My chickens can eat the larger pieces and the quail can eat the powdery stuff.

Drs Foster Smith carries small bags of ground oystershell if you can't find it already ground at the feed stores. I have ground up my own from large chunks of oystershell and it is a pain in the rump!...

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18935&cmpid=sc

Just keep it in it's own feeder and they will eat it as they need it. Calcium not only puts on a hard shell of the egg, but give the bird the contractions in the uterus to expel the egg.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

Always provide oyster shell. The hens need it to produce hard, strong shells and to keep themselves healthy.