I have a mixed-breed flock of hens (brahmas, isabrowns, barred rocks, wyandottes, jersey giants, an easter egger, and a rhode island red), in a good-sized coop with large windows. I'm in coastal New Hampshire. We moved them out of our basement a couple of months ago (they'd been spending nights in a box in our basement, since we didn't have a predator-proof place for them to sleep at night).
When they were in the basement and smaller coop, they got layer feed mixed with oyster shell, as we had no way to offer them the oyster shell separately. We got loads of nice, evenly formed, hard-shelled eggs.
Now they are getting layer feed but the oyster shell is separate, in a different container. They don't seem to be eating it at all. We're getting well-shaped eggs, but most have thinner shells and are fragile.
I know I'm not supposed to mix the shell into the feed, but I don't know how to get the hens to eat the shells on their own. My hens have previously shown themselves to be on the dumber side (when brains were being handed out, my hens were in the personality line), but they should still know to eat the shell, right?
Mostly, I just want to know what I can do to keep them healthy.
When they were in the basement and smaller coop, they got layer feed mixed with oyster shell, as we had no way to offer them the oyster shell separately. We got loads of nice, evenly formed, hard-shelled eggs.
Now they are getting layer feed but the oyster shell is separate, in a different container. They don't seem to be eating it at all. We're getting well-shaped eggs, but most have thinner shells and are fragile.
I know I'm not supposed to mix the shell into the feed, but I don't know how to get the hens to eat the shells on their own. My hens have previously shown themselves to be on the dumber side (when brains were being handed out, my hens were in the personality line), but they should still know to eat the shell, right?
Mostly, I just want to know what I can do to keep them healthy.
