Additional calcium

[McReynolds]

I already feed egg shells back to hens finely crushed , is this enough additional calcium, one of my hens is laying brittle eggs other hen that's laying egg is good other 2 hens not laying at moment , not sure of hens age as was given them , all have bright red combs and are lively and look happy had issue in past with one with messy bum but think I have resolved that

 

[21hens-incharge]

In order for a hen to produce a good quality egg shell it takes the calcium of 2+ egg shells consumed.

I too feed back egg shells but also provide oyster shell in a separate dish so they can consume it as needed.

Since you are seeing shell issues I recommend setting up a dish of oyster shell.

 

[Brooks_]

X2 on the oyster shell.

 

[3KillerBs]

No, it is not.

They cannot recycle their shells 100% into new shells because no process is ever 100% efficient and because they also need calcium for their own bones and body processes.

You also need to offer oystershell or what's called "calcium grit" on the side -- free choice all the time.

 

[McReynolds]

In order for a hen to produce a good quality egg shell it takes the calcium of 2+ egg shells consumed.

I too feed back egg shells but also provide oyster shell in a separate dish so they can consume it as needed.

Since you are seeing shell issues I recommend setting up a dish of oyster shell.

Just Bought a bag of oyster shell and will put dish in tonight , thanks

 

[3KillerBs]

Just Bought a bag of oyster shell and will put dish in tonight , thanks

The one I used when I only had a few hens is in this article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/feeders-and-scoops-from-recycled-bottles.76244/

The current one is a cut-down coffee can.

 

[Naisha]

Mine ignore the oyster shells completely. I have to mix it with their food, I usually mix their own egg shells, though.

 

[K0k0shka]

Do you only ever use your own eggs? Do you ever buy eggs? Like in the winter during the slow period. Chickens tend to prefer eggshells to oyster shells, so if yours don't want to eat the oyster shells, you can still feed them only eggshells and be totally fine for calcium, so long as they have an unlimited supply that never runs out. If you only ever feed them their own, like others have mentioned, over time it won't be enough. However, if you buy supplemental eggs during the slow season, or even during the egg-laying season if you only have a few hens that don't meet your egg needs, you can save the shells from the eggs you buy, and provide a constant supply. That's what I do. My hens stop laying completely in the winter so I buy eggs during that time, bake and crush their shells and save them up (they can last a really long time once fully dry). I save my own shells once my hens resume laying, too. So I always have a plentiful supply to feed to them. They've never eaten oyster shell or layer feed (the kind with added calcium) and I've never had soft or brittle shells. So, to sum it up, eggshells only is totally enough, provided that the hens have an unlimited supply that never runs out.