Homesteading Forum banner

Oyster shell

1K views 19 replies 14 participants last post by  Oregon1986 
#1 ·
Do you have oyster shell available at all times for your chickens or do you give it occasionally?
 
#2 ·
Because I mainly use commercial made layer feed I do not put out oyster shells, But I have a bag and with 67 pens with laying hens in about 1/2 of those I have put some in pens if the those hens---for some reason were laying soft shell eggs, but that's rare. BUT there is nothing wrong with having some in a container in case they want some.
 
#11 ·
I know o 2 good ways to prevent chickens from eating their eggs. The first is to give them a little cat food during periods of very high production. protein is expensive and the eed does not always have enough protein in it to give the birds enough when they are at maximum production. This does not matter if the birds are free range because they will eat bugs, and bugs are loaded with protein.

The other way is to supplement their diet with calcium, as during times of good production they might need more calcium than the commercial feed provides. And, if you feed egg shells, I always crushed mine so that the chickens would not recognize it. Chickens are not terribly bright.

Inadequate diet can lead pretty quickly to egg eating, and it is not an easy habit to break once it is in your flock! But, they are far less likely to eat an UNBROCKEN egg if they are getting enough of what they need. And, they are more likely to be short of protein and calcium than anything else. The commercial feed will give them what they need for ordinary production, but sometimes the girls can be awesome in their laying habits.
 
#12 ·
when I first started out with chickens I left a ripped open 10 pound bag in the corner of the coop. a couple of years later, it was mostly still there. I tossed it out into the yard.
I feed a mix from the feed mill for the layers.
I figure there is enough in there for them.
plus the chickens are all over our 8 acres.
I can't remember ever having thin shells.
.....
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top