Razor clam shells and seaweed?

[lalalandchickens]

I am reading through this forum and it's got so much great info on here! I am at the research stage for my chickens. I live 100 steps away from the beach in the northwest UK and have access to lots of seaweed would this be ok to bring back leave to soak and hang for a small amount of greenery? also there is literally thousands and thousands of razor clam shells could this be used as grit? I plan on lining the run with sand do I just scatter the crushed shells?

 

[Ridgerunner]

The clam shells are a good substitute for oyster shell. I believe you call that soluble grit in the UK. So yes, it can be used as soluble grit when they start to lay.

Insoluble grit is used in the gizzard to grind stuff they eat since they don't have teeth to do that for them. The clam shells and oyster shells do not work for that. The digestive juices will dissolve them. Put a clam shell in vinegar, you will see what I mean. They need rocks for that. The insoluble grit you can buy is granite, wastes from a granite quarry that has been screened for size and washed. I don't know what you native rocks are, they can probably use those. Just give them access to the ground and the will find their own.

Sea gulls and other salt water birds have a special gland to filter out excess salt. Chickens don't have that gland, excess salt can harm them. I don't know enough about your specific seaweed to know if it is suitable for them or not but I'd rinse the salt off of it before I offered it to them. I probably would offer it to them to see what they do. Some seaweed is highly nutritious.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I agree with the above and would add that if any of those razor clam shells still have clams in them, you’d have a nice protein boosting treat on your hands.

Maybe put them in a bucket of fresh water overnight before opening and serving to reduce the salt.

 

[lalalandchickens]

Great replies thanks everyone! I don't plan on free ranging them much only occasionally and give them a good time on the compost heap every now and again. So should I get some grit non shell type to put in and mix with the sand?

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

The grit can be offered free choice in a bowl near their food. They’ll consume what they need.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Is their run on the ground? If so, you can let them find their own. Or if you want, you can purchase some insoluble grit at the feed store and either toss it on the ground in their run or offer it in a separate dish. I don't think you need to but it won't hurt either.

 

[MgnRose]

Seaweed could be a really great idea as a lot of species are very nutritious- I would just be concerned about microorganisms and things that would be living on/ in it and the salt content. I wonder if there is a way of leaching the salt and killing the microbes? Maybe soaking and or flushing & cooking it?

 

[lalalandchickens]

The run will be on concrete covered in deepish sand (again from the beach) from the advice been given I think I will offer some crushed clam razor shells and buy some insoluble grit mix together and place in a bowl or low sided plant pot so it can drain out of if rains. For the chicken feed am going to feed layers pellets can these just be put out daily in a trough or similar. I don't fancy a hanging feeder I would rather feed them a daily amount. Some greens hung around and a bit of corn/treats to get them back into coop (the coop is not inside the run) Does all this all sound ok?

for the seaweed there is a few types next time I go the beach I will get some pictures. I think giving it a good rinse and maybe leave in a bucket of water overnight or 2 should take the salt out?