SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/chick-oyster-shell

How should laying hens get extra calcium?

Offer oyster shell free choice so hens can eat extra calcium.

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  1. Crushed chalk in the water
  2. Oyster shell in its own feeder ✔
  3. Extra scratch grains

Why: Some hens need more calcium for strong shells. Oyster shell in a separate feeder lets each hen decide how much she needs.

Huh, didn't know that: Oyster shell cannot replace grit: it is too soft to help grind food.

The dad joke
Why did the hen order shellfish? She wanted an oyster shell to go.
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References

Answer: Oyster shell in its own feeder. Some hens need more calcium for strong shells. Oyster shell in a separate feeder lets each hen decide how much she needs.

  1. Oregon State University Extension: How to Feed Your Laying Hens (PNW 477) extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/documents/pnw477.pdf
    When feeding oyster shell, provide a separate feeder to allow for free-choice feeding (the hen decides if she needs calcium)
    Checked 2026-10-11.
  2. Oregon State University Extension: How to Feed Your Laying Hens (PNW 477) extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/documents/pnw477.pdf
    Oyster shell cannot be substituted for grit because it is too soft to aid in grinding.
    Checked 2026-10-11.

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