Roosters and oyster shell

[noisegeyser]

I feed my chickens (one rooster and one hen) a mixed flock crumble, with calcium content visible in the attached image. I put oyster shell in a separate tray for my hen, and just recently resumed doing so since she's started to lay eggs again. I noticed my rooster has been helping himself to quite a bit of the oyster shell, and I could feel it in his crop so I know it was him. Is there anything I can do to discourage this? It defeats the purpose of having oyster shell as a separate source of calcium, and can't be good for him unless he's calcium deficient, which I doubt.

 

[SoJoChickens]

Check out this thread. It seems there are varying opinions: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/is-it-ok-for-roosters-to-eat-oyster-shells.737966/

 

[noisegeyser]

Check out this thread. It seems there are varying opinions: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/is-it-ok-for-roosters-to-eat-oyster-shells.737966/

Thank you for your reply, and helpful thread in that roosters shouldn't be given food meant for laying hens. But unless I missed it, there didn't seem to be anything on roosters that are actively going out of their way to eat the oyster shell. I think in the case of mine, he might not know what it is other than it's a new food item. I don't leave oyster shell out for my hen when she's not laying.

 

[LikeTurkeys]

Interesting. Normally roosters won't eat oyster shell because they don't need for the production of eggs. Mine doesn't. I wonder if he really does have a calcium deficiency and that's why he's eating it. Does he have access to grit? (mine get it from free ranging). He may be trying to use the oyster shells as grit if he doesn't have access to small pebbles and such (though this won't work because the oyster shell will dissolve).

 

[SoJoChickens]

Thank you for your reply, and helpful thread in that roosters shouldn't be given food meant for laying hens. But unless I missed it, there didn't seem to be anything on roosters that are actively going out of their way to eat the oyster shell. I think in the case of mine, he might not know what it is other than it's a new food item. I don't leave oyster shell out for my hen when she's not laying.

Here is a quote I saw in the thread that might help, "The roo will try the oyster shells and it won't hurt him. He won't eat enough." It will be interesting to see if your rooster keeps eating it long term or if he eventually tires of it.

 

[noisegeyser]

Interesting. Normally roosters won't eat oyster shell because they don't need for the production of eggs. Mine doesn't. I wonder if he really does have a calcium deficiency and that why he's eating it. Does he have access to grit? (mine get it from free ranging). He may be trying to use the oyster shells as grit if he doesn't have access to small pebbles and such (though this won't work because the oyster shell will dissolve).

They do usually have a small tray of grit (they're kept indoors), but they haven't for about a week since I ran out and had more coming in the mail. The grit I ordered is supposed to be delivered this afternoon, so when it comes I'll leave both trays out and see if he keeps eating the oyster shell. That's the most plausible explanation I can think of, though he wasn't eating the oyster shell at first.

 

[LikeTurkeys]

They do usually have a small tray of grit (they're kept indoors), but they haven't for about a week since I ran out and had more coming in the mail. The grit I ordered is supposed to be delivered this afternoon, so when it comes I'll leave both trays out and see if he keeps eating the oyster shell. That's the most plausible explanation I can think of, though he wasn't eating the oyster shell at first.

I think that may be the reason then. Since he wasn't eating it before and began after he ran out of grit, then I think it is possible that he is trying use the oyster shell as grit. Please update when you get the grit in!

 

[IamRainey]

I use all-flock so my rooster can avoid excess calcium. ...and then he's the first one at the egg shells when I fill that dish. Don't know if he takes some of the oyster shell too. I've never seen that but you can't miss him bumping everyone else out of his way when I put out egg shell.

I guess he'll decide how much calcium he can tolerate. I feel like I've done my part eliminating it from his feed. ::

 

[noisegeyser]

I think that may be the reason then. Since he wasn't eating it before and began after he ran out of grit, then I think it is possible that he is trying use the oyster shell as grit. Please update when you get the grit in!

I put out grit for them mid afternoon, and when I went to check on them earlier there was still plenty of oyster shell left and some of the grit was gone. So I think that must have been the problem. Thank you all for your help!