Egg shell: pulverized or crackled?

[aliris]

Hi - I've always just crackled up the eggs' shells we use and feed em back. They seem to disappear, more or less. But I noticed recently someone actually using a food processor to pulverize them and add the powder to the feed. Is this necessary? Maybe... answered as a function of whether you've got calcium/new eggs problems? I don't so... don't bother reinventing a wheel that's rolling? As it were? Or is there a compelling reason to do this. tia.

 

[nuthatched]

I'd imagine crackled is easier to eat for chickens than powdered.

 

[FeatherTay]

I don’t think it’s nessessary

 

[3KillerBs]

I break them down to fingernail size on the theory that, at that point, they don't look like eggs anymore and so won't result in the temptation to break their own eggs.

 

[Lizzy733]

I think cracked would be better as it offers them free-choice, especially if there is already calcium in their feed.

 

[K0k0shka]

Pulverizing and mixing with the feed would hide the eggshells and the chickens won’t be able to self regulate. You don’t know how much they need exactly, so you may end up giving them too much calcium, which isn’t good in the long run. Or too little, which isn’t good either. It’s best to let the chickens regulate their calcium intake themselves - they know best how much they need at each stage of their lives (and their needs do vary).

 

[GC-Raptor]

I just crunched egg shells with my fingers in the past, but I don't offer egg shells anymore, my Pullets and hens love Oyster Shells.

I raise chicks/pullets in separate coops/pens from hens and offer Oyster Shells at 15 weeks old.
They get a craving for Calcium a couple of weeks before laying.
GC