Should I offer oyster shell to my chickens??

[Toi-toi]

My "almost" a year old chickens laying eggs pretty good.
I have 5 chickens and get 25 or more eggs a week.
I just noticed that my chickens' egg shells getting thin. Not too thin but not strong as it used to.
They are free range everyday morning to night.
I feed them with "layer's feed" and it said "enough calcium for chickens.
But they are out all day and not much eating feed.

Should I offer them oyster shell???
If I add in feeder, they will eat ???

 

[Mac in Wisco]

You can offer it to them free choice in a dish on the side if you wish. They will eat if they need it, but the layer feed plus free range foraging should provide them with plenty.

It is quite normal for shells to get thinner as the hens age. A lot of that has to do with the eggs getting larger. Generally they use the same amount of minerals to make any given egg shell, thus smaller eggs have thicker shells and larger eggs have thinner shells.

 

[CrazyChickensEverwhere]

I would. Actually I buy a 50 pound bag, and When I give them food I mix 2 hand fulls in.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
Do they eat it free choice out of the feeder and leave some behind or do they scarf it all down?

Layer feed is formulated to provide the amount they need and extra, beyond what they actually need, is not beneficial. Too much calcium can also cause thin shells.

 

[Toi-toi]

Quote:
Eating grass gives them enough calcium?? I didn't know that. Thanks.

 

[chickengrl]

I give mine oyster shell free choice. No problem with thin shells.

 

[Fred's Hens]

You did not mention whether you feed back egg shells.

 

[CrazyChickensEverwhere]

Quote:
Do they eat it free choice out of the feeder and leave some behind or do they scarf it all down?

Layer feed is formulated to provide the amount they need and extra, beyond what they actually need, is not beneficial. Too much calcium can also cause thin shells.

some times they leave it behind, other times they scarf it down. I reconize when I mix it in good they take it all. and mine have medium thick shells.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
Eating grass gives them enough calcium?? I didn't know that. Thanks.

Yes, grass has calcium. (Think about the calcium in cow's milk). Grass is around .5% calcium, alfalfa 1.5%. It's not just the grass that is providing calcium though, it's also the insects and small bits of limestone that they are picking up while foraging. They are pretty good at picking up what they need for nutrition.

 

[mulewagon]

A 50-pound bag of oyster shell is cheap (but heavy!), and will last a small flock for years. I just put some in a separate feeder - they'll eat it when they need it.

Of course, as Mac says, if they freerange a lot they'll likely find all they need. With a three-month-old puppy, my chickens' freeranging is limited right now