Changing feed to Kalmbach 20% Flock Maker pellets

[talkinboutchickens]

The extra calcium is bad for any bird that isn't laying. It can cause some internal issues. I would switch to an all flock if you have roosters or other non-laying birds

Oops. Did not know that! Thanks for letting me know. I'll switch to the All Flock. Will there be a difference in the hen's egg quality?

 

[talkinboutchickens]

I'm still new to this but I did a lot of research on both this site and many others and consensus was the layer feed wasn't good for roosters or older hens that stop laying. Or chicks until they start laying.

I made a little container with oyster shell for the calcium the layers need. The chickens know what their body needs so if they need the calcium, they take some oyster shell. If they don't, they leave it alone. They call it "free choice calcium."

My hens refuse to eat their crushed oyster shells
Does anyone know of a cheap alternative?

 

[FrostRanger]

Oops. Did not know that! Thanks for letting me know. I'll switch to the All Flock. Will there be a difference in the hen's egg quality?

Nope, just make sure they have oyster shell on the side and your eggs should be the same as usual. If anything the extra protein is good for them too

 

[FrostRanger]

My hens refuse to eat their crushed oyster shells
Does anyone know of a cheap alternative?

Try flake oyster shell. Some hens like that better

 

[WingItRanch]

My hens refuse to eat their crushed oyster shells
Does anyone know of a cheap alternative?

I bet if you stopped layer feed and started All Flock or higher protein, she's eat the oyster shells!

But yes, you can also bake their egg shells, crush them up, and give that. Lots of videos on YouTube and pinterest with people doing that.

 

[FrostRanger]

I bet if you stopped layer feed and started All Flock or higher protein, she's eat the oyster shells!

But yes, you can also bake their egg shells, crush them up, and give that. Lots of videos on YouTube and pinterest with people doing that.

Giving eggshells back isn't going to provide enough calcium to replace what they're losing

But yes, they might show interest once you switch

 

[RoyalChick]

My hens refuse to eat their crushed oyster shells
Does anyone know of a cheap alternative?

Mine are a bit snooty about the oyster shell too. As others have said the flaked is a bit more popular and I think they eat more of the regular kind if I scatter it in the ground from time to time.
I also supplement calcium with cheese and yoghurt and of course their own egg shells.
I did have a hen with bad quality shells but that didn’t improve even with oral calcium supplements so ultimately I think she had shell gland issues, not a lack of dietary calcium.

 

[WingItRanch]

Yay! Do you know where it shipped from? Curious if it was same as where mine ships from (which is NE KS warehouse).

Says it shipped from Chewy Fulfillment Center in Vandalia, OH.

I went back to the pic you uploaded with the code on your bad bag and my bag had a different code.

 

[AnnPann]

Says it shipped from Chewy Fulfillment Center in Vandalia, OH.

I went back to the pic you uploaded with the code on your bad bag and my bag had a different code.

Interesting. All of mine have shipped from the Chewy warehouse in KS.