I don't use oyster shells at all. If you are using a complete 16+ layer ration it has more than the required calcium in it. Usually you get a hen that lays thin shelled eggs because they have a mineral deficiency--Boron and Magnesium. These minerals unlock many of the other nutrients so the body can use other minerals properly. These two minerals main impact is to direct the body to use calcium properly. Many people have this very same problem-bone spurs-calcium deposits inside joints and the muscles usually due to deficiency in the above two minerals. Here is a bit of information about boron: "The Poultry Institute observed that adding boron to mixed feed grains for chickens improves bone development and calcium metabolism. It also found that boron addition changed the bone development, blood and stress parameters and that cholesterol levels of chickens are lowered thanks to boron. The cholesterol lowering capability of boron is now being studied for application in humans." http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=151242 Here is a bit about magnesium Deficiency: "Calcification of Soft Tissue Including Heart Valve" http://www.ctds.info/5_13_magnesium.html Science is beginning to unlock the long debated issues of the importance of vitamins/minerals in all life forms and the lack of many of these in the foods we all consume-even the people who eat only organic suffer from many deficiencies. If these building blocks (minerals) are not in the soil it can not be in the food grown in it (just that simple). Back to the thin shelled layer-if you're providing all that is required for proper egg production and she doesn't comply maybe soup is the proper place for her-sometime there are genetically related problems that can and do block the body from properly using calcium and you may never be able to get her to lay good strong shelled eggs.

Thanks Michael! I was sorely disappointed when I clicked on Wanda's link and was told the video had been removed. Now I could see it!!!!!!!! Wonderful.

I have a friend that has a treasure chest of honkers. They are beautiful, she has rings, bracelets, a Rolex watch, a diamond watch, you name it she can probably find it in her jewelry box. There are some of us who can wear diamonds with great style like we were born to it and others like myself that if I had a large diamond on, i'd probably get arrested. I have one friend who has a ROCK, it is around 7 1/2 carat solitare. Knowing her husband, it was an investment of sorts. She was afraid to wear it until her daughter said "mom go ahead and wear it, the way you dress no one would ever think it was real anyway." I do have a solitare, it's one carat, Neil bought it for me for my 30th anniversary. He said he wanted me to have a larger diamond but he was afraid i'd shoot him for wasting money. When we got married he couldn't afford an engagement ring and had always felt bad because he said he had wanted everyone to know that I was spoken for. It didn't bother me but it did him so now I have a ring. My wedding ring and his are alike, the only thing I asked was that it be a wide band, it is. I will always treasure my wedding ring. When I look at it I am reminded that at least once in my life I got something right.

Well, went home last night hoping to see the floors looking great. They are better but not great. Most of the footprints are out. The area where he sanded again is better. Now, the whole floor is considerably darker than what I had planned and there are some very dark gummy looking spots. Of course they are 1/2 way across the room so I can't get to them. Today the contractor is coming back and he says he is going to use a super fine grit sandpaper and sand the floor lightly again--especially in the areas that are too dark. Then wait for my approval...he is hoping to poly today. I'm really just sick over the floors. The contractor is trying super hard. He wants to make it right. He is a general contractor who has done some floors but it is not his specialty. The dining room floor which he refinished looks pretty good. The stain is much more even and no weird footprints or dark spots. I think we do have a case of old wood vs new but also a case of an less experienced floor guy who didn't know what to do with the new wood to make it work. I'm not sure that even if I ask him to resand it entirely down to bare wood and start over that the result would be what I want. At this point, I'm not sure what to do other than let him finish and hope it looks better when it is all done and everything is in it. My plan was to redo the floors in my living room this summer. Hubby is suggesting that if the kitchen/dining room floors don't suit me that we wait until 2011 and refinish the entire first floor...including the kitchen and dining room we just did with a person who only does floors. To stop right now and get a flooring guy in here will probably delay moving back into the kitchen by at least a few more weeks.... I'm so annoyed that I chose poorly. The contractor has done a good job on everything else and he is very easy to communicate with. He's just not as skilled as we needed on floors. I really wish they just would have turned out great.