Young chickens oyster shell dilemma

[JuliosRun]

I was just wondering if anyone has actually seen them eat any significant amount of it. I never have. I imagine the amount they would eat wouldn't cause any harm to them at all.

TOO MUCH CALCIUMA diet containing too much calcium can be a serious problem for young chicks and growing birds under 18 weeks of age. The recommended level for calcium is 1% or below for these birds; layer feed has up to four times this amount, so you should never feed it to birds under 18 weeks.The excess calcium has to be excreted by the kidneys in the form of uric acid.

 

[JuliosRun]

I was just wondering if anyone has actually seen them eat any significant amount of it. I never have. I imagine the amount they would eat wouldn't cause any harm to them at all.

Now how about those bit sizes?

 

[Sussex19]

I was just wondering if anyone has actually seen them eat any significant amount of it. I never have. I imagine the amount they would eat wouldn't cause any harm to them at all.

I have not.
It is always just the odd taste, trying it out so as to speak, and then they carry on with their day else where.
Interestingly, I have also seen roosters have the odd bit.

 

[Brooks_]

Why haven't you? Maybe because people don't do it. Maybe people learned. Much like you don't hear about people dying of bacteria in the water here in the states at least, much. Why because, people have learn not to drink stuff that hasn't been treated, like the city water. City water being the starter feed.

When Not to Add Calcium

"Young birds should never eat high calcium diets. Having more calcium than they can adequately absorb causes damage to their kidneys and therefore can shorten their lifespan."

So the calcium in the starter feed = regular diet, plus any extra = high

So now supplemental oyster shell is akin to layer feed?

 

[JuliosRun]

I was just wondering if anyone has actually seen them eat any significant amount of it. I never have. I imagine the amount they would eat wouldn't cause any harm to them at all.

Excess calcium intake has been shown to reduce growth and feed efficiency and to increase bone ash and bone strength in growing chickens. Source and level of dietary phosphorus have been shown to affect calcium tolerance. The effects of high calcium can be largely explained by its effects on intestinal pH.

 

[Brooks_]

Excess calcium intake has been shown to reduce growth and feed efficiency and to increase bone ash and bone strength in growing chickens. Source and level of dietary phosphorus have been shown to affect calcium tolerance. The effects of high calcium can be largely explained by its effects on intestinal pH.

Please define excess. Unlikely to be from os.

 

[Sussex19]

None since I don't feed them calcium (other than what's in the starter). Stands to reason.

So maybe leave the replies to people that have actually done it, studied their chickens behaver around the oyster shell from the day after they hatched.
Most chicks will try it out, but it only comes down to one or two pieces, and then they will ignore it until they do need it.
Some of my younger pullets will eat it, and I know that calcium is low in the soil here, so even very young chickens know what is good for them. Never have they comes to any harm from it.

 

[The1andOnlyGAChickenKing]

Chickens won't poison themselves with oyster shell.

 

[JuliosRun]

Please define excess. Unlikely to be from os.

read post #30

 

[Brooks_]

read post #30

That does not explain how access to oyster shell is high calcium.