15-week old chicken laid egg

[ReiK]

You can collect eggshells, dry and crush them to feed them back to your hens. But this alone will not suffice if you have high production hybrids.

I am hesitant to do that as they may develop egg pecking or egg eating habits.

 

[Ted_Harrell]

If she is a Red Sex Link like shown in the picture or even a Leghorn, they can lay at 16 weeks, so yeah free choice oyster shell if you can get it, like everyone above has already said. Hopefully the eggs will appear soon. Good luck...

 

[LaFleche]

I am hesitant to do that as they may develop egg pecking or egg eating habits.

If you crush it into tiny pieces they will not, rest assured. I feed mine their dried and crushed eggshells for more than 20 years now and never had an egg eater.

 

[ReiK]

If she is a Red Sex Link like shown in the picture or even a Leghorn, they can lay at 16 weeks, so yeah free choice oyster shell if you can get it, like everyone above has already said. Hopefully the eggs will appear soon. Good luck...

They are not. Today she did not lay any egg, but i really don’t want her to, as she is too young for me — Her birthday is Feb 10. I hope they will just start to lay around 5months so they have the good body condition for laying.

 

[ReiK]

If you crush it into tiny pieces they will not, rest assured. I feed mine their dried and crushed eggshells for more than 20 years now and never had an egg eater.

Can boiled egg shells still be used? (from those we eat and use the shells) or does it have to be raw?

 

[LaFleche]

Can boiled egg shells still be used? (from those we eat and use the shells) or does it have to be raw?

Yes, boiled egg shells can be used just as well.

 

[Ridgerunner]

i included some maintenance/ layer pellet today(mixed not pure). She has been able to go out in the yard wherein access to soil and some grasses during morning when weather is good.

It's not what is in one bite, it's the total grams of calcium she eats all day, and even that is averaged over a few days. If you are mixing the feed or she eats a fair amount of low calcium foods while foraging then Layer may not provide sufficient calcium for egg shells. If she is getting extra calcium from other sources it may be enough. Layer is formulated so that if all they eat is Layer they will get enough calcium for egg shells.

I may have access to raw oyster shell, do i just crush it into powder or small portions?

Yes, as someone mentioned the largest size should be about the size of a green pea. I don't know how raw your oyster shell would be. If they are old and dried up they may be OK as is but if they are from a restaurant or oyster bar they are going to have bits of organic matter and maybe other stuff on them. They are probably going to smell pretty strongly. Washing and then baking or just boiling to start with should neutralize that small and stop that organic matter from smelling. After they are boiled you want them dried. If you try to store them wet you may allow mold to grow.

I am afraid since she's young that she'd have excess calcium if i continue to provide layer feed. So i would really like it to be on a separate choice container.

If they eat anything other than Layer I think a separate source of supplemental calcium is a good idea. As long as it is a separate container they can regulate how much they eat.

Today she did not lay any egg, but i really don’t want her to, as she is too young for me — Her birthday is Feb 10. I hope they will just start to lay around 5months so they have the good body condition for laying.

I agree, my preference is also that they don't start laying so young for the same reason plus they have fewer start-up problems like soft shells if they wait a few weeks. I don't know how to stop them once they start. But that is a question, has she really started laying or was that just a fluke.? Or was that just a start-up problem where she will soon be laying eggs with a good shell? These kinds of things are not easy. I think the best thing to do is observe and see what happens to decide on your next move.

 

[ReiK]

Yes, boiled egg shells can be used just as well.

Thank you. Will do that on our boiled egg shell. Will change it daily since i don't want any bacteria or mold to grow.

 

[ReiK]

It's not what is in one bite, it's the total grams of calcium she eats all day, and even that is averaged over a few days. If you are mixing the feed or she eats a fair amount of low calcium foods while foraging then Layer may not provide sufficient calcium for egg shells. If she is getting extra calcium from other sources it may be enough. Layer is formulated so that if all they eat is Layer they will get enough calcium for egg shells.


Yes, as someone mentioned the largest size should be about the size of a green pea. I don't know how raw your oyster shell would be. If they are old and dried up they may be OK as is but if they are from a restaurant or oyster bar they are going to have bits of organic matter and maybe other stuff on them. They are probably going to smell pretty strongly. Washing and then baking or just boiling to start with should neutralize that small and stop that organic matter from smelling. After they are boiled you want them dried. If you try to store them wet you may allow mold to grow.


If they eat anything other than Layer I think a separate source of supplemental calcium is a good idea. As long as it is a separate container they can regulate how much they eat.


I agree, my preference is also that they don't start laying so young for the same reason plus they have fewer start-up problems like soft shells if they wait a few weeks. I don't know how to stop them once they start. But that is a question, has she really started laying or was that just a fluke.? Or was that just a start-up problem where she will soon be laying eggs with a good shell? These kinds of things are not easy. I think the best thing to do is observe and see what happens to decide on your next move.

She seems to really lay egg. As this morning when i checked on her cage, there is a remnant of yolk+albumin stocked on the chicken wire floor. Will just provide crushed boiled egg shell to her temporarily as i don't regularly have access to oyster shell.

 

[LaFleche]

She seems to really lay egg. As this morning when i checked on her cage, there is a remnant of yolk+albumin stocked on the chicken wire floor. Will just provide crushed boiled egg shell to her temporarily as i don't regularly have access to oyster shell.

You could just as well provide tablets for humans: calcium + Vit D3 +K (or without Vt. D3 + K) and give it to her for at least 10 consecutive days.