Crushed Oyster Shells vs. Crushed Egg Shells!

[3littlechickies]

HI!

My chicks are a month old so I have months until I get some eggs! But I want to be prepared! So what do you use? Have you used both and like one better? I know people say egg shells for calcium won't cause egg eating but have any of you had that problem? Thanks!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Crushing and re-cycling the egg shells creates ZERO issues in egg eating. It is a free source of calcium so why not use them

However, there are some studies that seem to indicate the the particle of the calcium of a re-cycled shell doesn't stay in their digestive system long enough to be as good a source as a larger particle of calcium source would. I think I have observed this. 90% of the time, the re-cycled shells are just fine, but once in a while I do supplement with calcium carbonate. I've never purchased oyster shells but they would also work very well as many, many people do use them.

I've also observed that sunlight is required and likely the Vitamin D the hens derive from the sunlight in order to produce better shells. I can tell this especially during the gloomy, short, almost sunless days of later winter.

 

[aggiemae]

I use both but my hens don't eat the crushed oyster shells unless I powder them in the blender but they love egg shells, especially if we have hard boiled eggs and they get some egg whites mixed in.

Most hens will eat an egg now and then often because a soft shelled one gets laid off the roost during the night. once in a while when molting but proving extra protein ends it immediacy. Personally I have never had a problem with this and I have had chickens for most of the past 30 years.

 

[donrae]

I also mostly just re-feed my egg shells. Don't do anything fancy with them, crack the egg, shell goes in the bowl with leftovers that goes to the coop. No crushing/baking/etc. However, it only makes sense to me that this closed system needs something added at some point, so I toss a handful of oyster shell in the run when I happen to think of it, maybe once a month if that. No egg eating issues here.