what is the best thing to give a chicken for more calcium?

[floridachickhatcher]

Other than oyster shells and grit cause that is not working for our chickens

we have RIR,BR,WR

 

[Imp]

What is the problem you are experiencing, or reason for more calcium.

Here are some foods higher in calcium:

1. Spinach & Swiss Chard
2. Salmon & Sardines (canned with bones)
3. Mustard, Collard, Kale & Turnip greens
4. Shellfish
5. Blackstrap molasses (can cause runny stools)
6. Corn Tortillas
7. Yogurt
8. Mozzarella & Cheddar cheese
9. Milk, Buttermilk (goat's milk and cow's milk)
10. Basil, thyme, dill seed, cinnamon, and peppermint leaves
11. Romaine lettuce
12. Rhubarb
13. Almonds, Peanuts & Brazil Nuts
14. Black Beans, Dried Beans (Cooked)
15. Sesame seeds
16. Fennel
17. Cabbage, Bok Choy, & Chinese cabbage
18. Summer squash
19. Green beans
20. Garlic
21. Tofu & Soybeans
22. Brussel sprouts & Broccoli
23. Oranges (Some people do not feed citrus to chickens)
24. Asparagus & Okra
25. Crimini mushrooms
26. Foods Fortified with Calcium: Some Orange Juice, Breads, & Cereals


Imp

 

[floridachickhatcher]

they lay soft shells and yeah i know too much calcium can be bad for them

 

[tenderkat]

Mine have layed soft-shelled for quite a while, despite supplemental oyster shell and offering many of the foods that Imp mentioned. I just read that a vitamin D3 deficiency can cause soft-shelled eggs. I bought a vitamin/electrolyte supplement for my girls yesterday, which has vitamin D in it. I'm not sure if that could be what's going on with your chickens, but I'm hoping that extra D will help mine.

 

[Imp]

Quote:
Yeah, that is very true.

Sometimes magnesium also is beneficial, in people, not sure about chickens.

Here's some more info:

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publi...ndbook/16/thinshelled-eggs-and-shellless-eggs

Imp

 

[teamsunbelt]

My grandma alway said to give the egg shells back to them, makes the new eggs stronger.

 

[wood&feathers]

As Tenderkat said, they may be missing some other vitamin like D. I had an australorp hen who had the same problem when she started laying, with yogurt and vitamin supplements she did better. She laid these huge eggs, often with ripples in the shell.

 

[feliciamckee]

Quote:
That is what I do also. I just make sure to crush them up really well.

 

[Rodrad]

Quote:

That is what I do also. I just make sure to crush them up really well.

Any definition on the size of the crushed egg shells? I understand it needs to be various size, so the absorption is staggered.