[ness]

I have bought my ladies oyster shell but it looks quite big pieces (compared to grain and the like).  Do i need to crush it down to more manageable bits?  This is mainly for mother hen as her 2 daughters are too young to lay (mother hen isn't laying either).  Is it ok to offer it to birds that aren't laying?
Many thanks
xx

[Foxy]

Hi Ness, Is your hen laying at the moment? If she is and the eggshells are normal I wouldn't be worried and shes probably getting enough calcium from the grit. If they are soft shelled that needs a little attention. I used baked crushed egg shells, as well as offering Oyster shell. I wouldn't worry about the youngsters as long as they have adlib access to grit. I use Smallholders supermixed corn as that already has grit and shell in it!plus they freerange and probably pick up enough minerals that way - I have had comments about how hard the eggs shells are!!!  
Hope this helps!!!

[Aunt Sally]

The oyster shell produced for chickens is in quite large pieces. so I think you have the right stuff.  If the hens are offered it in a seperate dish they will take it when the need it, they also need small stones like the size found in poultry grit for their digestion.

[ness]

That does answer my question thank you.
None of my 3 hens are laying at the mo (mother hens the only one I would expect to).  Had heard oyster shell being bandied about and thought we were missing out!  Doesn't look like they need it at the mo as they are free range with access to grit and they also have a handful of the smallholders supermixed corn every day.  
Maybe I'll wait til they start laying, when ever that'll be!  :roll:  
Thanks again
Ness x

[Aunt Sally]

Sounds like you're doing fine to me  

[Oliveview]

I gave oyster shells to my hens (one was laying a soft shelled egg) never did work on her! The hens just used to pick it up and spit it out, it was all over the floor. I tried grounding it down more in the ´liquidiser´ all it did was make a mess of the inside to it!  Talk about scrathes.
Pamela (in Spain)