Are They Eating Too Much Calcium?

[rosemarythyme]

WOW! This was a very well presented discussion. I have only four adult girls and based on this thread, I've been giving them way to much in the line of treats. I have two auto feeders which contain 17% complete layer feed. And then every day, I provide two pie pans with about two total cups of treats between them, which consist of chopped lettuce, dry cat food, corn and meal worm scratch, sunflower seeds and sprinkle red pepper flakes and dyed and ground up egg shells over the top. Plus a hanging 3" long corn cob. Every day they are let out in a large enclosure and then locked up every evening. We live in the high desert and the ground vegetation is sparse, but there is some which they spend there days in. There are still enjoying dirt baths every day even is our cold winter weather. My main concern in looking into this thread was the amount of calcium which we are feeding them, but I have now come away with a concern that I have been providing two many treats. I would value any advise or suggestions. Thank much.

For 4 birds something like 1 Tbsp total a day would be what my flock could expect from me. I dole it out as a reward for returning to the run when I call for it. Of course they'd enjoy having much more than that. But they don't need it, and too many treats can unfortunately lead to fat chickens: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ts-story-please-dont-overfeed-treats.1593329/

Did you say you were dying eggshells? Or did you mean dried/drying?

 

[FrostRanger]

WOW! This was a very well presented discussion. I have only four adult girls and based on this thread, I've been giving them way to much in the line of treats. I have two auto feeders which contain 17% complete layer feed. And then every day, I provide two pie pans with about two total cups of treats between them, which consist of chopped lettuce, dry cat food, corn and meal worm scratch, sunflower seeds and sprinkle red pepper flakes and dyed and ground up egg shells over the top. Plus a hanging 3" long corn cob. Every day they are let out in a large enclosure and then locked up every evening. We live in the high desert and the ground vegetation is sparse, but there is some which they spend there days in. There are still enjoying dirt baths every day even is our cold winter weather. My main concern in looking into this thread was the amount of calcium which we are feeding them, but I have now come away with a concern that I have been providing two many treats. I would value any advise or suggestions. Thank much.

That is definitely way way too many treats. Treats should be less than 10% of their diet. If you want a healthy way to treat them, ferment some of their feed and give them some of that every day. They'll go nuts for it and it won't throw off their diet 'cause it's just their normal feed and water. There also may be addional health benefits too but your mileage may vary

 

[HensJoy]

Sorry for the "typo". I did mean dried egg shells. Then ground fine. I'm coming away from this discussion thinking that they should be added in a separate dish instead of placed on the food. My problem is they are my girls and I want to "treat" them well. (Just kidding, kind of) I will go with your suggestions. As far as the fermented feed. Please give me a little more details.

 

[NatJ]

If you want a healthy way to treat them, ferment some of their feed and give them some of that every day. They'll go nuts for it and it won't throw off their diet 'cause it's just their normal feed and water. There also may be addional health benefits too but your mileage may vary

Or you can just add water to some of their feed, and not let it sit long enough to ferment. That is quicker and easier, and the chickens seem to love it that way too.

I agree, a "treat" that is the usual feed plus water is a great way to have the fun of giving something special, but without throwing off their diet.

 

[FrostRanger]

Sorry for the "typo". I did mean dried egg shells. Then ground fine. I'm coming away from this discussion thinking that they should be added in a separate dish instead of placed on the food. My problem is they are my girls and I want to "treat" them well. (Just kidding, kind of) I will go with your suggestions. As far as the fermented feed. Please give me a little more details.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/fermenting-chicken-feed-a-straightforward-method.75967/ For 4 birds though I'd go with a pint jar rather than a 5 gallon bucket especially if it's just a treat, and yes a wet mash works too if you don't want to ferment

 

[Mother of Chaos]

WOW! This was a very well presented discussion. I have only four adult girls and based on this thread, I've been giving them way to much in the line of treats. I have two auto feeders which contain 17% complete layer feed. And then every day, I provide two pie pans with about two total cups of treats between them, which consist of chopped lettuce, dry cat food, corn and meal worm scratch, sunflower seeds and sprinkle red pepper flakes and dyed and ground up egg shells over the top. Plus a hanging 3" long corn cob. Every day they are let out in a large enclosure and then locked up every evening. We live in the high desert and the ground vegetation is sparse, but there is some which they spend there days in. There are still enjoying dirt baths every day even is our cold winter weather. My main concern in looking into this thread was the amount of calcium which we are feeding them, but I have now come away with a concern that I have been providing two many treats. I would value any advise or suggestions. Thank much.

Whoa, yeah, two pie pans a day divided among four chickens is a lot! I’ll bet they love you, though!

They might benefit from the extra protein (the mealworms, although mealworms are also high in fat), but I’d cut the corn back to once a week. They probably appreciate the greenery in the winter, when forage is hard to find. Mine have fallen in love with uncooked turnip greens. They may even be getting less calcium than you think, because it’s very likely that they’re eating less of their 17% balanced feed, preferring to fill up on snacks. (Human version: “We’re eating dinner in a half hour! You’ll spoil your appetite!”)

 

[ABQ chicken keeper]

I have two auto feeders which contain 17% complete layer feed. And then every day, I provide two pie pans with about two total cups of treats between them, which consist of chopped lettuce, dry cat food, corn and meal worm scratch, sunflower seeds and sprinkle red pepper flakes and dyed and ground up egg shells over the top. Plus a hanging 3" long corn cob.

I have a question: How much feed are your hens consuming from the two auto feeders? I suggest weighing it morning and evening.
The dry cat food, corn and meal worm scratch, corncob, lettuce, grass and whatever they can scratch up might fill them up. Do you check their crops to see how full they are when you lock them up for the evening?
From my observations, birds eat, dust, rest, peck around eat more greens then call it a day.
Oh, why cat food?

 

[Rillowen]

As everyone says, chickens know how to pace themselves and eat what's right for them, but now I'm wondering to what extent?

I give my 9 pullets free-choice oyster and baked reused egg shells, however, they're going through what I think to be a crazy amount.

All of my flock are Barred Rocks and Barred Rock mixed with BYMs (said to lay 4-5 times a week). Two pullets have started five weeks ago and have been laying consistently for three weeks at combined 11 (BYM lays 6, BR lays 5) a week. Two have laid their first egg yesterday at 20-21 weeks. Three are due to lay their first egg any time now at 20-21 weeks. Two are 12 week old Blue Ameraucanas.

Together, they eat the equivalent of ~7 baked regular size egg shells a day + an estimated 40 grams of oyster flakes. They get a mix of Scratch & Peck grower mash (calcium min 0.8%, max 1.3%) and Kalmbach layer pellets (calcium min 3.50%, max 4.20%) which is mixed respectively 4 parts to 1 and 8 to 9 cups given daily. Additionally, their daily feed consists of around 1 cup dried BSFL (3.25% min calcium) and 1/2 cup BOSS a day (~72g calcium). They also get grass (1 lb every day because cutting grass is tedious) and probably 2 lbs of watermelon (every 4-5 days). They vacuum up any dropped feather and eat that too.

What has specifically changed recently? The Ameraucanas were slowly introduced to the flock for six weeks and have been sleeping in the coop since two weeks ago. As the younger ones grow, they've been sometimes needing 1 more cup of the mixed feed a day. A little over a week ago, I started giving them baked egg shells in addition to their oyster. Their consumption of oyster did not go down (they still finish almost all of it) but they were munching on the baked egg shells too (I bake 2 dozen shells twice a week at a time, they finish it within 2 days).

I've been noticing there are some signs of excess calcium recently. With the first-time layers, it makes sense why they have calcium deposits. However, with the almost daily layers, why am I seeing calcium deposits and some wrinkling in the shells? For the past two days they've each laid an egg like this, but they've never laid something similar before since they've been consistent. I am not seeing a full extra calcium coating or weird shaped eggs, just eggs speckled chocolate brown and white and there was some wrinkling in the largest one too. The wrinkling might be caused by the egg being bigger than her previous eggs, stressing her out. Additionally, I never expected them to lay this much, is the amount of calcium they are consuming forcing them to lay eggs more often to protect their liver, or is it feed & nutrition quality in comparison to commercial? The oyster and baked shells are separate but as close as 1 ft to where I might spread out their daily feed, are they getting confused? Are my top of pecking order (the ones laying) preventing others from eating treats and therefore eating all that excess calcium themselves (possible, because they eat the most treats, but the others get some too)? Are they not eating too much calcium and it the spots happen to be a coincidence because they are generally new layers?

AI says a laying chicken should be eating 4-5g a day of calcium, but mine are, if my calculations are correct, eating way more than that. I notice the oldest ones eating the most calcium, but even the Ameraucanas, who are nowhere close to lay, each eat probably 4g or more a day.

In conclusion, I might be obsessing over my fluffy girls a bit too much. Are my chickens pacing themselves, or do I have to pace for them? What should I do, or have they already figured it out?

I know this is an old post, but I am going to reply for everyone who may come looking for an answer.

While over consuming is something to watch out for, you don't really have to worry about that with calcium/shells. It doesnt taste so good they will keeping eating past what they should, like humans and celery. A nice crisp piece on a hot day might be good, but you will never voluntarily eat more than say 4 full stocks (which is when you start overloading on the sodium ect in it). It is probably because they have just reached laying, like a human teenager their body is going through a last huge growth spurt equivalent to that of a baby, its just all happening inside were we can't see it. They will probably slow down within a month or so. Offering clover or duckweed could help, they are higher in calcium and protien along with other nutrients. As others have said be cautious of the corn and other grains, thats kind of like cake for chickens.