Calcium question

[MissChick@dee]

LOL....my husband would be in that mine licking the walls!! My cooking gives him heartburn
You could try offering it in a side dish...see if they take to it. Wonder how nice your eggshells will be

 

[Kullas]

LOL....my husband would be in that mine licking the walls!! (My cooking gives him heartburn )
You could try offering it in a side dish...see if they take to it. Wonder how nice your eggshells will be

Good question guess I will find out.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Calcium carbonate is CaCO3 regardless if it is in the form of oyster shell, egg shells or in mined form. In fact the calcium used in many milled chicken feeds is the mined form. So in short, yes you can use it.
However, there can be issues because in mined products, there can be many different minerals contained. While most of those minerals are necessary in a poultry diet, it is also possible for there to be excesses in the form of magnesium, manganese, etc..

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Regarding calcium and bird nutrition, there are things to take into consideration.
In the case of chicken feed, we know that most feeds other than layer contain about 1% calcium. Research has shown that is the amount needed by most chickens. Layer feed can vary from 3.5-4.5%. It is intended for birds actively laying. However, here's the rub. All chickens aren't equally productive.
4% calcium may be about right for a bird building about 5 shells a week.
This is where oyster shell or other calcium carbonate source in a separate container comes into play.
A bird that lays very infrequently like a serama or silkie, may not need much calcium above the 1% in most non-layer feeds.
Leghorns, RIRs and other very productive breeds will likely need more than the 4% in layer feed. They'll need that OS supplement even if eating layer.
That leaves all the other birds in between.
Also, species need to be considered. Some species lay infrequently or just for a brief period annually. Genetics of those birds will be different from gallus gallus domesticus in their ability to pull calcium from medullary bone and chickens' ability for the near immediate transport mechanism of pulling needed nutrients from the calcium absorption sites in the small intestine to the blood stream directly to the uterus.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Regarding calcium and bird nutrition, there are things to take into consideration.
In the case of chicken feed, we know that most feeds other than layer contain about 1% calcium. Research has shown that is the amount needed by most chickens. Layer feed can vary from 3.5-4.5%. It is intended for birds actively laying. However, here's the rub. All chickens aren't equally productive.
4% calcium may be about right for a bird building about 5 shells a week.
This is where oyster shell or other calcium carbonate source in a separate container comes into play.
A bird that lays very infrequently like a serama or silkie, may not need much calcium above the 1% in most non-layer feeds.
Leghorns, RIRs and other very productive breeds will likely need more than the 4% in layer feed. They'll need that OS supplement even if eating layer.
That leaves all the other birds in between.
Also, species need to be considered. Some species lay infrequently or just for a brief period annually. Genetics of those birds will be different from gallus gallus domesticus in their ability to pull calcium from medullary bone and chickens' ability for the near immediate transport mechanism of pulling needed nutrients from the calcium absorption sites in the small intestine to the blood stream directly to the uterus.