Supplying Hens with Grit and Oyster Shell

[olgreenie]

I have 12 hens and in rooster that are all 18 weeks old. I started supplying oyster shell at 15 weeks and grit ever since they were chicks. It doesnt seem like they are eating much grit at all from the feeder that is in the coop. These birds free range for about 3 hours per day. Do you think they are finding enough grit to suffice themselves outside the coop and run to where they arent eating the grit that is supplied to them? As far as the oyster shell goes I know that they will eat it when they need it. As of now it doesnt seem like they show much interest in that either. These birds free range for about 3 hours per day.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It’s surprising how well most chickens will self-regulate grit and calcium when given the option.

Grit is just rocks. If they are free-ranging they are probably finding plenty. Different types of rocks last different times in the gizzard. Granite is really hard and will last a long time, maybe a month. Other rocks are softer and may be ground up in just a few days. It just depends on what your native rocks are.

If they are not laying, they don’t have much use for oyster shell. Plus they may be finding a lot of calcium when they are out on walk-about. If your native rock is at least part limestone, they may be getting a lot of calcium from the rocks they eat as grit. Not only is limestone fairly soft, the acid in their digestive system dissolves it too. Limestone really doesn’t last very long. Many plants contain a fair amount of calcium. They can also get calcium from hard-shelled bugs and other creepy crawlies they might eat while ranging.

I grew up in East Tennessee in limestone country. Our chickens were totally free range. We never fed them anything except some corn in the winter. We never gave them any oyster shell or other calcium supplement. Those egg shells were hard as rock. What they need just depends on what they are foraging on.

 

[donrae]

They really don't need much. They're probably getting most of it during free range, but it doesn't hurt to keep some available. The gizzard isn't that big, and the stones last in there for weeks sometimes. So, you're really not going to see a drop in the amount in a feeder if a bird takes literally one piece a week or something like that.

I think they're a little young to have much interest in the oyster shell. In my experience, young layers aren't as interested in it as they have a good stock of calcium to draw from. My 2 year and older birds are far more interested in it.