Feeding egg shells

[Ridgerunner]

The shells of the eggs they lay will tell you if that is enough or not. If they are thin you need something else. If they are thick, whether they eat the offered egg shells or not, they are OK.

Chickens can possibly get calcium from a lot of different sources, commercial feed, calcium supplements, certain creepy crawlies if they are lucky enough to get a few of those, some plants, even gravel they use as grit if you are in limestone country.

Chickens don’t just use calcium for egg shells, they use some for body function and maintenance. They also do not digest every bit of calcium they eat, some goes straight through their system and out the rear end. If the only calcium they get is the egg shells from the eggs they lay, it won’t be enough. But if they are getting calcium from additional sources it might or might not be enough. If they are getting enough from other sources they might not even eat the egg shells you offer them. How thick the egg shells are in the eggs they lay will tell you if you need more calcium.

 

[Den in Penn]

Most leave the oyster shell out all the time letting them decide to partake.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Most leave the oyster shell out all the time letting them decide to partake.

That's exactly what I do.

 

[FlyWheel]

So if I put out the egg shells when I feed them scraps I don't need to add any oyster shell? Thanks

Ground egg shells are a good supplement, but are insufficient as a primary source of calcium. While there may be enough in the shell to make another shell, not all of the calcium is going to be absorbed due to inefficiencies of the chicken's metabolism. And that's assuming that all of the shell even makes it into the chicken in the first place. Much will get scattered while pecking, fall off the outside of their beak, and some of it get's used by the chicken for other purposes (bones, electrolytes and so on).

Sorry about the redundant post, I hadn't seen Ridgerunner's yet.

 

[Mom2Sav]

Ground egg shells are a good supplement, but are insufficient as a primary source of calcium. While there may be enough in the shell to make another shell, not all of the calcium is going to be absorbed due to inefficiencies of the chicken's metabolism. And that's assuming that all of the shell even makes it into the chicken in the first place. Much will get scattered while pecking, fall off the outside of their beak, and some of it get's used by the chicken for other purposes (bones, electrolytes and so on).

Sorry about the redundant post, I hadn't seen Ridgerunner's yet.

Thank you, I will make sure they have a supply of OS as well. It can't hurt right?

 

[acomeau13]

I have a question? How do I get my hens from eating their own eggs? They just started a few weeks ago and every time I go out the eggs are gone. They are also molting and they are about 1 1/2 years old.

 

[Mom2Sav]

I have a question? How do I get my hens from eating their own eggs? They just started a few weeks ago and every time I go out the eggs are gone. They are also molting and they are about 1 1/2 years old.

Wish I new the answer but I'm more of a newbie than you. I'm sure you have a supply of OS out for them? I suspect some chickens are just cannibals. What part of MA do you live in? I'm in SE MA (Rehoboth). Hopefully you'll get some good answers.

 

[Den in Penn]

I have a question? How do I get my hens from eating their own eggs? They just started a few weeks ago and every time I go out the eggs are gone. They are also molting and they are about 1 1/2 years old.

If the eggs have just started to disappear when they started to molt, then this is likely the cause. When hens molt they generally stop laying. If it has been going on for a while there are several things you can try. Wooden or ceramic eggs that they can't break. Filling eggs with something they don't like. Getting roll out nests where the eggs roll out of reach after they are laid.

 

[Glenda Heywoodo]

Grass-Fed Chickens?

 

[Little Fuzzy]

I too have always fed my hens their own eggshells and I've done it every way you all have mentioned! Dried in a dish, microwaved and the oven if I happen to use it that day. What I am running into is I run out of eggshells. So I bought a bag of oyster shell for when I don't have any but the shells seem to big to me and the chickens don't seem to eat it like they do their own shells. I tried to crush the oyster shell, but man it is not easy! Has anyone else thought this? I bought oyster shell years ago when I lived in another state and I don't remember it being such big chunks or so hard. Maybe it's the brand?

The Oyster shell I bought was big also. I serve it on the side but no one seems to have touched it.