Too much calcium?

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24karot

24karot

Hatching
Sep 24, 2015
6
0
9
Falcon, Colorado
Can hens get too much calcium? I have 4 RIRs that are laying and I give about 1 quarter cup pulverized shells mixed in yogurt every 3 days
They eat the whole thing. They free range and eat grower feed. I had a hen that was egg bound due to soft shell, but she passed it along with a shell less at the same time
No problems since giving them shells. I can't mix in with the feed as the pullets will eat it too. Am I giving them too much?
 
The calcium in egg shells dissolves very quickly. They need to have a source of calcium available all day long, everyday. That's why crushed oyster shell is more commonly used. It doesn't dissolve as quickly, and the hens tend to need less to produce good egg shells. The source of calcium should not be mixed in with other things. It should be left out all day long so that they can consume it as they need it.
 
Quote: really? darn it! I bought oyster shells yesterday and on the back of the bag it specifically says you can mix it with feed, so I mixed some of it in with the feed (a couple handfuls, not too much). I did spread some out for them to eat in the run because they were really curious about all the "treats" I carried out. Ugh!
 
chickmomma03 said:
really? darn it! I bought oyster shells yesterday and on the back of the bag it specifically says you can mix it with feed, so I mixed some of it in with the feed (a couple handfuls, not too much). I did spread some out for them to eat in the run because they were really curious about all the "treats" I carried out. Ugh!
Click to expand...
I mix oyster shells with my peafowl's feed I just add when needed to be added and my peafowl have access to their feed all day. Sometimes I give oyster shells to my chickens or duck when the feathers or egg quality goes down a bit then I give them some oyster shells to help out buy my birds have access to their feed pans all day and night.
 
I wonder if the Pullets would not bother (other than at the start when it's new) if you had it in a separate feeder than the grower feed? Will the adult hens naturally crave and seek out the oyster grit?
There are loads of opinions, my favorite was "if it grows antlers it's too much".
If this method is working for you I'd stick with it.
 
The reason you don't mix it into the feed is so that those birds that don't need it, aren't consuming it by accident. If you offer it separately, the birds that need the calcium will eat it. The ones that don't need it, will leave it alone, for the most part.
 
Welcome to Back Yard Chickens !
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I never heard of getting to much Calcium.
 
Justso said:
I wonder if the Pullets would not bother (other than at the start when it's new) if you had it in a separate feeder than the grower feed? Will the adult hens naturally crave and seek out the oyster grit?
There are loads of opinions, my favorite was "if it grows antlers it's too much".
If this method is working for you I'd stick with it.
Click to expand...
You are right. If they don't need it, they don't crave or eat it. It's not tasty.
 

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