How Much Oyster Shells?

[Mike121]

I'm about to transition my chickies over to an all-flock feed and supplement with oyster shell. My question is, how much of that are they going to eat? Should I put out a large feeder of oyster shell, or will one of the small hanging feeders be large enough to at least last several days?

In other words, will they eat the same amount of those oyster shells as they do the feed, or will it be much less?

I'll have no more than 20 hens at any given time.

 

[Debbie292d]

I would guess that number of hens would eat only about 1 cup in a week at most. We put ours in a small dog dish in the coop. It is not considered food per se.

All ours do is walk up and peck a few and walk away.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Given the choice, chickens are very good at self regulating calcium uptake, on average. There are of course individual exceptions, but excluding the outliers, you can put out a bowl or a bucket or whatever and only refill when they've spilled it all or consumed it all. Oyster shell doesn't rot, doesn't spoil, can't go rancid, and unless you have crazy acid rain, doesn't dissolve (even then, it takes a LONG time before you would notice). I put a plastic gutter out, poured a line of oyster shell, and refill maybe twice a year. I don't think I go thru 10# a year *admittedly, my birds aren't on an "all flock" type feed, their feed mix is closer to 2.5% Ca on average, and some are not very productive layers, others are roosters - so my experience won't translate well to a more typical management style and flock*

 

[Hungry Chicken]

The oyster shell we use said to use 1 pound of oyster shells per 20 pounds of food, so we just mixed half a bag of 5-lbs oyster feed with a 50-lbs bag of feed. The hens just ate as much what they needed, works pretty well for us

 

[Debbie292d]

The oyster shell we use said to use 1 pound of oyster shells per 20 pounds of food, so we just mixed half a bag of 5-lbs oyster feed with a 50-lbs bag of feed. The hens just ate as much what they needed, works pretty well for us

They eat around it when mixed in their feed? I've always had it separate and some ate it often, some very rarely. Also, if you have roosters, you don't want them to be eating any, but that said, I have one very old rooster that goes to the dish now and then. I figured maybe he's so old his bones are deteriorating and he knows he needs it. Not sure though.

 

[Hungry Chicken]

They eat around it when mixed in their feed? I've always had it separate and some ate it often, some very rarely. Also, if you have roosters, you don't want them to be eating any, but that said, I have one very old rooster that goes to the dish now and then. I figured maybe he's so old his bones are deteriorating and he knows he needs it. Not sure though.

Well some of our girls are pickier with the shells. When I go in to refill their feed on the weekends the feeder's almost empty and not much oyster shell left either so I always assumed they ate the shells. Now that I think about it though it is entirely possible they just buried the shells as they sure do love to dig. Eggs and hens have been fine though

 

[rosemarythyme]

I use a hanging parrot cup for oyster shell/eggshell and just refill it as needed, which is maybe once every week during the height of laying season.