Drinking Milk

[t_williams8]

Last night I got an egg that had no shell on it. This has never happened before and no other eggs had thin shells. I am asssuming this is a calcium deficiency.

I wanted to know what to give the chickens to correct this problem.

Can they drink milk!?!?

Ty

 

[NYREDS]

Crushed oyster shell-should be able to get it at your feed store.

 

[krcote]

Often times people will crush up eggshells very small and feed those. They love them. Some folks will say it makes them eat thier own eggs. I have never had a problem with this. Good luck!

 

[Picky Chicky]

I was told that the crushed oyster shells are too big for bantams... not sure if it's true or not so I went with the crushed granite stuff. I've also heard about feeding them their own dried egg shells, but I think I heard you have to make certain they're well pulvarized so the chickens don't realize what it is... and someone said something about drying them out in the oven - which makes the house smelly.

 

[anderson tavern farm]

Yes, they can have milk. They can have yogurt and cottage cheese as well. Mine are partial to yogurt. Crushed oyster shells will help as will allowing them to eat their own crushed egg shells.

 

[t_williams8]

thanks for all the advise. I guess I was going for the milk thing b/c I have a ton of it in the house. why not use whats handy rather than buying crushed oyster shells.

How long will this deficiency last? How quick can they overcome it once I get them ample calcium?!?!

 

[dancingbear]

You can give them milk in a pan or anything they can't tip over. Chickens love milk, and it's good for them.

But don't panic. Hens sometiumes lay ashell-less egg, it's just a fluke that happens now and then. Unless it's happening often, I wouldn't worry about it.

The milk's still a great food for them, high protein as well as calcium and phosphorus. Especially since you have excess.

If you eat your excess roos, here's something you may want to try, from one of the other members:
Feeding whey to chickens as they grow is supposed to help keep the meat tender, so that if you have non-meat breed roos you want to eat later, they won't be as tough by the time they get big enough to eat. You could make cottage cheese, feed that to your hens, and freeze the whey to feed to freezer-bound birds when you have them.

 

[MissPrissy]

It must be RAW milk. Not pasturized grocery store milk.

I was told that the crushed oyster shells are too big for bantams... not sure if it's true or not so I went with the crushed granite stuff.

Cushed oyster shells and crushed granite are not used for the same thing. The oyster shell is for calcium. The granite is grit for digestion in the gizzard.​

 

[ozark hen]

I get some soft shelled eggs once in a great while and my chickens get oyster shell and crushed egg shells all the time. Just happens sometimes. If it were to start happening on a regular basis then I would be concerned.

 

[sunbury chick]

Miss Prissy,
Why does it have to be raw milk?Thanks...