What are these l brackets for

[Chicken deficient]

My chickens are fed layers pellets and mixed grit with oyster shell. They always eat the oyster shell first and pretty fast. OH bought straight oyster shell the other day by mistake, but when I added some to the grit, it went really fast again. It seems they can't get enough of it.

They have been having a vitamin D supplement also, to help with calcium absorption.

Do they normally limit their own calcium intake sensibly, or do I need to be careful about how much I offer them, so that they do not over do it?

[AlisonH]

I'm fairly sure that I've read that they self limit. Do they free range as they will get their calcium from other sources if they do. One of mine occasionally lays eggs with lumpy hard bits on and I'm advised that this is excess calcium being got rid of. Mine have never had extra supplements but if I top the pot of oyster shell up they eat it quickly, even though there's always some there.

 

I'm no expert but that's just what I've read.