[gracie]

I have some grit in the run for the girls that hardly seems to go down much. They do free range most of the time so guess they are getting a enough grit anyway. When i bought the grit i cant remember if it had oyster shell in it. As I have never had a soft shell can I presume I can carry on the way I am until the time that I possibly do get a soft egg and then make an oyster shell purchase.

[Lindeggs]

I would suggest you either find out if your grit includes oyster shell, or just go and buy some additional oyster shell and put it in the run.  (I understand it is pretty cheap to buy.)

In theory your chickens should be getting all the calcium they need from their staple diet, but as they are free ranging (as mine do) they might not be getting enough.  My pullets get a balanced diet but they still choose to eat a surprising amount of shell in addition to their layer pellets.

By the time a chicken shows symptoms of a calcium deficiency, she may already have used calcium from her bones to make the egg shells!  This can hide the problem while she is young and fit but result in health problems later in life.

As long as the shell is freely available (but not mixed with their food) they won't eat too much.  They will just take what they need.  Also the shell never goes 'off' so if they aren't eating it you won't need to buy any more.  So for a very small investment you will be making sure they have all the calcium they need.

[gracie]

Thanks for the advice I hadn't given the health factor a thought as usually when it's discussed it's all about eggs. Will get some today

[Nefertari]

I also save the egg shells, bake them and then crush them up and feed them back to the girls.