{"id":2227,"date":"2023-12-14T23:33:27","date_gmt":"2023-12-14T23:33:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/?p=2227"},"modified":"2023-12-14T23:33:27","modified_gmt":"2023-12-14T23:33:27","slug":"can-chickens-eat-lobster-shells","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/can-chickens-eat-lobster-shells\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Your Chickens Scoff Down Lobster Shells?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I&#8217;ll never forget the time I tried to serve my chickens a fancy feast fit for a king &#8211; or in this case, a lobster. You&#8217;re not gonna believe what happened next!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Yes, chickens can and will eat lobster shells safely. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>However, moderation is key as too many shells could cause digestive issues.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It all started on a beautiful summer day last year.<\/p>\n<p>I was craving some <a href=\"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/can-chickens-eat-lobster-mushrooms\/\">fresh lobster<\/a> and thought &#8211; why not share the wealth with my gang of girls out back? They&#8217;re always gobbling up whatever scraps I toss their way.<\/p>\n<p>How much different could lobster shells be?<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_66_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-665f2349e6177\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-665f2349e6177\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/can-chickens-eat-lobster-shells\/#Why_Chickens_Love_Shellfish_Shells\" title=\"Why Chickens Love Shellfish Shells\">Why Chickens Love Shellfish Shells<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/can-chickens-eat-lobster-shells\/#Amount_to_Feed_Chickens_Lobster_Shells\" title=\"Amount to Feed Chickens Lobster Shells\">Amount to Feed Chickens Lobster Shells<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/can-chickens-eat-lobster-shells\/#What_Happened_When_I_Fed_My_Chickens_Lobster\" title=\"What Happened When I Fed My Chickens Lobster\">What Happened When I Fed My Chickens Lobster<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/can-chickens-eat-lobster-shells\/#How_to_Serve_Lobster_Shells_Safely\" title=\"How to Serve Lobster Shells Safely\">How to Serve Lobster Shells Safely<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/can-chickens-eat-lobster-shells\/#Common_Questions_About_Feeding_Lobster_to_Chickens\" title=\"Common Questions About Feeding Lobster to Chickens\">Common Questions About Feeding Lobster to Chickens<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/can-chickens-eat-lobster-shells\/#Signs_Your_Chickens_Ate_Too_Many_Shells\" title=\"Signs Your Chickens Ate Too Many Shells\">Signs Your Chickens Ate Too Many Shells<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/can-chickens-eat-lobster-shells\/#Best_Ways_to_Use_Leftover_Lobster_Meat\" title=\"Best Ways to Use Leftover Lobster Meat\">Best Ways to Use Leftover Lobster Meat<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Chickens_Love_Shellfish_Shells\"><\/span>Why Chickens Love Shellfish Shells<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2228 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/replicate-prediction-mxptcjlbpdn5b6tttrnxkxwh24.png\" alt=\"can chickens eat lobster shells\" width=\"1216\" height=\"816\" srcset=\"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/replicate-prediction-mxptcjlbpdn5b6tttrnxkxwh24.png 1216w, https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/replicate-prediction-mxptcjlbpdn5b6tttrnxkxwh24-300x201.png 300w, https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/replicate-prediction-mxptcjlbpdn5b6tttrnxkxwh24-768x515.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1216px) 100vw, 1216px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Chickens have quite the savage instinct when it comes to foraging that lets them crack open tough shells with ease.<\/p>\n<p>Their beaks are built like tiny picks, perfect for shattering the exoskeleton of all sorts of critters and unleashing the nutritious morsels inside.<\/p>\n<p>The calcium in <a href=\"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/can-chickens-eat-chicken-egg-shells\/\">shells helps strengthen their own egg<\/a> shells so when Fiona lays an omelette, you can bet it&#8217;ll stand tall.<\/p>\n<p>Plus all that calcium builds strong, sturdy bones to help the <a href=\"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/can-chickens-eat-flies\/\">hens hack through the turf with gusto each day as they scratch for bugs<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The protein packed into shells and leftovers stuck inside gives the girls an energy boost so they can crow and cluck all day without running out of steam.<\/p>\n<p>Shells are also a natural way for the ladies to stay busy, using their beaks as tools to pry open each shell shard one by one for a tasty treat inside.<\/p>\n<p>It keeps them sharpens their instincts to seek, crack and snack so come winter, they&#8217;ll be crack foragers hunting every nook for morsels when times get lean out in the coop.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Amount_to_Feed_Chickens_Lobster_Shells\"><\/span>Amount to Feed Chickens Lobster Shells<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2230 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/replicate-prediction-3ygipn3bwst7rtu5hgluvmhlxe.png\" alt=\"can chickens eat lobster shells\" width=\"1256\" height=\"912\" srcset=\"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/replicate-prediction-3ygipn3bwst7rtu5hgluvmhlxe.png 1256w, https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/replicate-prediction-3ygipn3bwst7rtu5hgluvmhlxe-300x218.png 300w, https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/replicate-prediction-3ygipn3bwst7rtu5hgluvmhlxe-768x558.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1256px) 100vw, 1256px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>My birds tend to be a rowdy bunch so I only give each girl one shell to start since I&#8217;ve seen some serious mosh pit energy over sharing before.<\/p>\n<p>Any more than a shell or two each and their crops could get packed tight as a sardine tin, making it tougher to digest all that shell material.<\/p>\n<p>I like to dole out the shells on Tuesdays and Fridays as a special treat so their systems gets time to fully break it all down before the next serving.<\/p>\n<p>any more than that and little Matilda could end up with a bad case of the runs that&#8217;ll leave her tuckered out for days if she&#8217;s not careful.<\/p>\n<p>The shells are meant to be an occasional snack, not a daily dinner item, so mind those portion sizes to keep your flock feeling its best.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Happened_When_I_Fed_My_Chickens_Lobster\"><\/span>What Happened When I Fed My Chickens Lobster<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2229 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/replicate-prediction-frzott3bsp4loztr4flpcz4tlu.png\" alt=\"can chickens eat lobster shells\" width=\"1248\" height=\"888\" srcset=\"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/replicate-prediction-frzott3bsp4loztr4flpcz4tlu.png 1248w, https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/replicate-prediction-frzott3bsp4loztr4flpcz4tlu-300x213.png 300w, https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/replicate-prediction-frzott3bsp4loztr4flpcz4tlu-768x546.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1248px) 100vw, 1248px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Those ladies turned into a pack of wild animals the second they spotted the lobster shells hit the dirt!<\/p>\n<p>Feathers were a-flying as they scrambled and scrapped in a tangle of claws and beaks to get their pick of the platter.<\/p>\n<p>Beatrice, always the bold one, straight up swallowed a whole claw in one gulp like it was nothing!<\/p>\n<p>The mini mob scene was equal parts hilarious and horrifying as I worried a few birds might get hurt in the chaos.<\/p>\n<p>But once they tore into the shells, the carnage calmed and each hen set to munching her claimed prize in the dust.<\/p>\n<p>This just proved shellfish is like crack-cocaine for chickens and they&#8217;ll gang up rabidly for even a morsel of the good stuff.<\/p>\n<p>I think they may have learned to prefer a life of lobster over mere grains after getting a taste of the fine dining feast!<\/p>\n<p>The message? Start slow and watch those wild chickens when serving anything fancier than usual!<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Serve_Lobster_Shells_Safely\"><\/span>How to Serve Lobster Shells Safely<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>It&#8217;s best to remove any sharp bits or points from the shells that could injury the chicks.<\/p>\n<p>Use kitchen shears or pliers to carefully cut off any particularly pointy parts that could pose a hazard.<\/p>\n<p>Check the shells thoroughly for any remaining meat scraps the ladies might choke on if too big of a piece.<\/p>\n<p>Opt to crack shells further into smaller shards about the size of a nickel or dime for easier snacking.<\/p>\n<p>Scatter the prepped shells across the yard and keep an eye out at first to ensure no squabbles get too rough.<\/p>\n<p>Shells are a real treat so go slowly <a href=\"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/what-shouldnt-you-feed-to-chickens\/\">introducing them to avoid any tummy troubles<\/a> from overindulging.<\/p>\n<p>Shelter shall also suffice if it&#8217;s a rainy day &#8211; just spread the shells about inside instead of the great outdoors.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Common_Questions_About_Feeding_Lobster_to_Chickens\"><\/span>Common Questions About Feeding Lobster to Chickens<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>&#8220;Are there any risks to my chickens&#8217; health from leftovers?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>In moderation lobster shells pose no threat but like many human foods too much can cause an upset crop.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;How do I introduce shells gradually without a flock frenzy?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Start by only giving one or two birds a shell at first to see their reaction before expanding treats to the whole group.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Will shells provide enough nutrients or do they still need scratch?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Shells alone lack balance &#8211; they need access to typical feed, grit, calcium supplements and clean water daily for health.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I live near the coast &#8211; can wild shells cause issues?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>best to avoid shells directly from the beaches to prevent potential trace contaminants contact from water runoff or pollution.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;What&#8217;s the best way to store leftover shells for future feedings?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Air tight containers in the freezer keep shells fresher longer than the fridge &#8211; just thaw before serving.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Signs_Your_Chickens_Ate_Too_Many_Shells\"><\/span>Signs Your Chickens Ate Too Many Shells<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Loose watery droppings could mean crops are taxed from too much indigestible material.<\/p>\n<p>Lethargy or less active than normal is another signal of potential tummy troubles brewing.<\/p>\n<p>Bulging bellies appearing uncomfortably distended after eating is always cause for concern.<\/p>\n<p>Loss of appetite when normally ravenous points to unpleasant digestive distress.<\/p>\n<p>Sneezing or nasal discharge could indicate a shell scratched the respiratory system on the way down.<\/p>\n<p>Seek veterinary help if issues persist over 24 hours rather than waiting it out.<\/p>\n<p>Prevention through moderation is key to keep your coop crew feeling their best.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Best_Ways_to_Use_Leftover_Lobster_Meat\"><\/span>Best Ways to Use Leftover Lobster Meat<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Any meat picked from the shells gets finely chopped and mixed into their standard feed.<\/p>\n<p>A splash of meat in their waterer becomes a flavorful broth sip to please even the pickiest palate.<\/p>\n<p>Dollop a bit of meat onto scraps like veggies or bread bits for an extra enticing nibble.<\/p>\n<p>Mush the meat into mealworms or worm cubes bound to be a favorite funky finger food treat.<\/p>\n<p>On special Saturdays, toss a few juicy morsels of meat directly into the yard to watch them battle.<\/p>\n<p>Your chickens will come to anticipate &#8220;Lobster Saturday&#8221; as a highlight of their week each and every time.<\/p>\n<p>With creativity, even meat scraps can become marvelous feed additions beyond plain old scratch.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I&#8217;ll never forget the time I tried to serve my chickens a fancy feast fit for a king &#8211; or in this case, a lobster. You&#8217;re not gonna believe what happened next! Yes, chickens can and will eat lobster shells safely. However, moderation is key as too many shells could cause digestive issues. It all [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2230,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[118],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2227"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2227"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2227\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2358,"href":"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2227\/revisions\/2358"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2230"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2227"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2227"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chickenrise.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2227"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}