Some folks won’t feed the shells back to their hens because of bacteria or fear of egg eating. Make sure you crush the shell well enough that they aren’t recognizable as eggs otherwise those smart hens might get some ideas. This not only makes them easier to crush but will destroy any bacteria present. I turn the oven off and set the shells on a tray. I usually ‘cook’ my used eggshells in the oven for about 30 minutes after I’m done baking. You can also feed eggshells back to the hens for extra calcium. Those hens that need it will take it, the others will not. In fact, too much calcium can be detrimental to a hens’ health, so it is best to offer up an oyster shell in a separate container. Only laying hens require oyster shells chicks, the older chickens, and roosters do not require any oyster shell added to their diet. When Oyster Shells and Grit Aren’t Necessary Yet others may have a shell gland defect that requires more calcium than normal. Some require more calcium as they are prolific layers, others – not so much. This is because it dissolves in the hen’s gut and is absorbed by the body and stored for later use in making shells or strengthening bones.Įven though we are told that a layer feed is complete and that the hens do not need anything other than the feed, it may not contain enough calcium for your hens.ĭid you know that an egg is between 94-97% calcium carbonate? That’s an awful lot of calcium!Īs with people, chickens are individual creatures so the needs of one hen may not be the same as her neighbors. Oyster shell is also known as soluble grit. It probably contains another shell too, but they are all high in calcium which is what our ladies need. Oyster shell is exactly what it says crushed oyster shell. Grit pieces perfectly sized for adult laying hensĬheck The Price Oyster Shells for Chickens.Comes in an easy to reseal bag meaning it lasts longer.Used to help your chickens digest their food properly.After the 8 th week, they can graduate to regular chicken grit. Up until 8 weeks or so, they will need ‘chick grit’ which is much finer. Once you start giving them treats or clumps of grass or dandelions they will need the grit. Always have a feeder of grit available for them to use if they want it.Ĭhicks will not initially need any grit until you start feeding them things other than crumbles. They usually manage to find suitable grit during their free-ranging expeditions, but if they are confined (in a pen/run) it may be a problem to find sufficient grit.Ĭhickens that are confined will absolutely need additional grit to aid their digestion if you feed them anything else other than the layer feed. Some soils don’t have much grit in them so the birds don’t have anything to work with. Many people make the mistake of thinking that their birds will get all they need if they are free-ranging and the answer is ‘it depends. Remember, it is better to have too much than not enough. You should always provide free-choice grit for your birds this means they should always have access to grit. Grit can be easily purchased at the feed store or online and is pretty cheap since it will last a long time. The grit itself is made from granite or flint that is chipped into smaller sizes for chickens to be able to gulp it down easily. In general, the chickens’ digestive system is highly efficient, but without grit, it will come to a halt. In fact, insufficient grit can cause things like impactions because the gut cannot deal with lumps of food – it just isn’t set up that way. Without grit, the food would not be rendered into a useable form for the bird. Once it settles there, it goes to work helping the muscular gizzard to grind down the food into a nutritious paste from which the gut absorbs all the nutrients and water before eliminating the waste. The grit, after ingestion, travels down into the gizzard where it will stay for quite a while until it is worn down sufficiently to pass through the bird without causing harm. Chicken Grit: All You Need To Know Why Do Chickens Need Grit?Ĭhickens don’t have the means to grind or masticate their food since they don’t have teeth so they need something to reduce the food particle size to a manageable form. Chick grit how to#Keep reading to learn why your hens need them, how much they need and how to feed to them. So now we know that our ladies need oyster shells and grit as additives to their diet, but why do they need them? Without it, serious health issues can arise, such as Sour Crop and Brittle Bones. Your hens require both oyster shell and grit. Unfortunately, a lot of people think that grit and oyster shells are the same things. Grit and Oyster Shells Nutritional Value.Grit and Oyster Shells: How Much and How Often?.When Oyster Shells and Grit Aren’t Necessary.
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