Chicken's Won't Eat Oyster Shell

[PreChickenLady]

I currently have 6 pulleys, three of which are laying. I am still feeding grower feed and supplementing with egg shells and oyster shell since not all of my girls are laying yet. I started offering egg shells as a calcium source and my girls ate it up. I ran out one weekend and didn't have any to bake so I bought oyster shell and offered that but my girls won't touch it! Anyone else have this happen to them?

 

[lindalouly]

They really eat such amounts that you wont be able to tell at first... I just throw out for them everyonce in awhile... They should be fine.

 

[Teila]

Hi there PreChickenLady

As I have read to not mix the oyster shell in with their food, I keep a small container of it topped up in the coop.

I agree with lindalouly that they do not eat a large amount of it and they have a way of knowing if and when they need it. Having it separate, in the coop, means that it is always available if they need it.

I find that those who are laying usually just have a few pecks at it before going up to roost for the evening. Those who are not laying, due to broody or moulting, just ignore it.

It is actually a good way for me to tell when someone is going back to laying as after weeks of not touching the shell, she takes a few pecks at it at bed time.

 

[aart]

If they just started laying they won't need it right away as they are drawing calcium from their bones, they'll get it if they need it.

 

[BBQJOE]

About every three or four days I'll add some powdered eggshell to the feed. I serve their feed wet so they don't waste it, and they have no idea what they're eating.

 

[donrae]

If they just started laying they won't need it right away as they are drawing calcium from their bones, they'll get it if they need it.

I agree with this. New layers are fully topped off with calcium, so they don't really need the extra right away. And when they do start, they often eat so little it's hard to tell they're getting any at all.

 

[PreChickenLady]

The eggs that I am getting have decent shell hardness so I know they are getting enough calcium from somewhere. I added egg shells to the oyster shells (I have it in a separate container so they can eat it at will) and the chickens ate the egg shells all up. I guess I have picky eaters.

 

[PreChickenLady]

My first one started laying on Christmas Day and two others followed about a week later.