Aussie Finch Forum

Does any member know where I can purchase the above product in Perth area.
I have tried a lot of the seed merchants without luck.

Cheers Greg

Are there any oyster farms in SW WA?

Yes, in Albany,approx 350 kms South of Perth.

Cheers.

Have just phoned Emu Point OysterFarm in Albany, they don't crush the shells they are just discarded. If closer
it would be worth a trip to Albany, buy a small crusher and on sell it.
Cheers.

Hi Pauline,
Visit a Restaurant in your Area that serves up Oysters and ask the Chef to save you the Oyster Shells from a busy Saturday Nites trading
most Chefs wont say no to your request, particularly if you are a Customer of that Restaurant and give the man a warm Bottle of Beer
for his Troubles, scrape the Shells as clean as you can get them with a small Spoon or Knife and put them into a suitable pot starting them off in cold water
bring them to the boil and let them boil for about 30 minutes, stirring them now and then, so they all get boiled evenly, drain and allow to cool off and take out your frustration on these poor buggers, and hammer then to Bits and Pieces to your Hearts content.
Good Luck
Ralph

A mulcher/chipper would be a good way to do quantities. I'd dry bake them in an oven.

Do oyster shells have a higher calcium content or something compared to normal shell grit and cuttle fish etc

Rob wrote:Do oyster shells have a higher calcium content or something compared to normal shell grit and cuttle fish etc

I have always wondered about that myself Rob, there are many different ways to supply calcium. My birds go absolutely nuts over baked/microwaved egg shells and shaved cuttlebone as well as fresh fine shell grit which is the floor substrate.They also are fed a vitamin/mineral and amino acid powder which contains a good proportion of calcium every second day in their sprouted seed so a calcium deficiency should not be a problem.
Recently i have lost two hen crimsons due to egg binding which was due to the snap cold weather we are receiving,the weather was quite mild one week and the next was bloody freezing with 2deg nights and 12 deg days.
My WB crimsons have not lost their breeding cycle they have in the wild which is very similar to the gouldians breeding cycle so you just can't stop them from breeding otherwise the cocks will kill the hens out of frustration.
Bit off topic but i don't think the non supply of oyster shell is not the be all end all,it's just another supply of calcium and minerals imo. Craig

My original question was about getting crushed oyster shell in Perth. I should be getting some sent up from the Albany Oyster Farm and then will
work out a way to clean and crush it.

Cheers.