Why process egg/oyster shells before feeding back to chickens?

[amiachicknorwat]

Very interesting. Thanks for replying. Too bad I didn't call this thread, Why process oyster/egg shells b4 feeding back to fowl? Cuz that's my full question. I was wondering about the practice of feeding them eggshells, but I have "fed" them oyster shells. Really I only tossed them on the grounds of their coop and run without further processing. I'm from the coast, so know what an unprocessed oyster shell looks like. These are way processed, but they're still in relatively large flake size pieces, about a 1/4" in diameter. Maybe they dont crush them before sale so we can recognize them as oyster shells and not be suspicious of just another white powder, but I think I'd better crush them into that state and put it with their feed if I want to boost their calcium levels. I could also spread the powder in places I know they peck so they'd take it up with whatever they aim their beaks at. The latter would take more crushing and more $4- bags of oyster shells for adequate coverage. Do they need them crushed up? I've got enough to do without undue work, thanks.

 

[MeepBeep]

They oyster shells have to be small enough for them to ingest, the ideal size is the appropriate grit size for your birds that way it will get stuck in the gizzard and used as grit being ground up over a period of time, thus better distributing the calcium into the body over a longer period of time... Aka a better absorption rate...

Powder works but it will need to be ingested more frequently as it will pass right through the bird, and they will only digest so much before it leaves the body... Powder is best put on the food, assuming you only have layers as to no OD the roos or young ones with too much calcium...