Is weekly calcium citrate a bad idea?

[Chickeemariee]

My chickens are all acting and laying healthy at the moment, but I previously had a hen lay two soft eggs back to back and it got me thinking about their daily diet. They currently have their own shells that I feed bad to them in their coop at all times but would making a little treat where I crush calcium citrate pills in it a bad idea? If not, could I do plain greek yogurt, in a small amount, and how many (650 mg) pills would I crush for three hens? I just want them to be as happy and healthy as possible.

 

[Kiki]

What exactly do you feed them?

 

[Chickeemariee]

What exactly do you feed them?

They currently eat Ace Hi 20% Hi Protein lay pellets. They get mealworms as treats for coming when I whistle to them and occasional kitchen scraps which mostly consists of beans, scrambled eggs, greens from my garden, and their egg shells. I prefer the ace hi big feeders complete lay feed but I live in Hawaii and we don’t always get options over here.

 

[Chickeemariee]

They also free range for about 2 hours every evening.

 

[Kiki]

They currently eat Ace Hi 20% Hi Protein lay pellets. They get mealworms as treats for coming when I whistle to them and occasional kitchen scraps which mostly consists of beans, scrambled eggs, greens from my garden, and their egg shells. I prefer the ace hi big feeders complete lay feed but I live in Hawaii and we don’t always get options over here.

I would stop feeding all the extras and only feed the pelleted layer feed. All the extras are taking away from them getting a balanced diet.

 

[HeritageFan]

I would stop feeding all the extras and only feed the pelleted layer feed. All the extras are taking away from them getting a balanced diet.

May I ask, would it be better to add free access oyster shell for them, instead of deleting the limited treats?

....that was my thought. I always have grit and oyster shell available for my turkeys and ducks. I don’t do a lot of treats, but do let them take turns free ranging. And do on rare occasion get a soft egg .... most often a few days after I failed to notice my oyster shell had run out

 

[rosemarythyme]

They're already on layer feed so "hiding" calcium in a treat gives them no option to avoid intaking more calcium if they don't need it.

If you know which hen has the issue, only that hen should be supplemented as needed to get her back to laying regularly shelled eggs. Whether you want to do that with a pill or by offering only her a special treat with calcium in it is up to you.

 

[Chickeemariee]

They're already on layer feed so "hiding" calcium in a treat gives them no option to avoid intaking more calcium if they don't need it.

If you know which hen has the issue, only that hen should be supplemented as needed to get her back to laying regularly shelled eggs. Whether you want to do that with a pill or by offering only her a special treat with calcium in it is up to you.

thank you for your reply this makes total sense. Keeping their egg shells or oyster shells as an option for them full time is still a good idea correct?

 

[Kiki]

May I ask, would it be better to add free access oyster shell for them, instead of deleting the limited treats?

....that was my thought. I always have grit and oyster shell available for my turkeys and ducks. I don’t do a lot of treats, but do let them take turns free ranging. And do on rare occasion get a soft egg .... most often a few days after I failed to notice my oyster shell had run out

No.
See if this makes sense.
Let's pretend that a chicken can only eat one cup worth of food per day. Let's pretend that is all that will fit in her belly.
Let's pretend she HAS to eat one cup worth each day.

Imagine that the pelleted feed has everything needed to keep her alive and healthy for ever but she must eat one whole cup worth per day.

If she is eating treats (treats are ANY and EVERYTHING besides the pellets) in the amount of 1/2 cup worth per day...she isn't eating well.

Pretend the treats, worms, kitchen scraps and all equal to candy, soda, chips and cookies.

Making sense yet?

 

[RoyalChick]

thank you for your reply this makes total sense. Keeping their egg shells or oyster shells as an option for them full time is still a good idea correct?

Definitely. Individual needs differ and the layer feed will provide some kind of minimum for the ‘average’ laying hen.
Giving them an option to supplement for themselves is a good idea. They may never eat it - but they can if they choose.