Egg shells for grit?

[StarrChicks]

Is it ok to give crushed egg shells as the only option for grit? I recently came home from vacation and found one of my hens has sour crop

 

[Rose Quartz]

As a calcium supplement sure, it doesn't really work as grit though it's too soft.

 

[rosemarythyme]

x2. Way too soft and also it's a source of calcium. Typical grit is granite with some sharp edges.

 

[pibb]

Crushed egg shells are not really big enough or hard enough to be used as grit. They can be used as a supplemental source of calcium but they are not as good as oyster shells for calcium. A typical limestone pebble would work better as grit but granite is the best grit.

If your hen has sour crop, it doesn't need grit, it needs an antifungal like monistat 7. @azygous

 

[black_cat]

Agreeing with all above posts. I also think that I've read something about egg/oyster shells dissolving quickly, and grit staying somewhere for longer? I may be wrong, though.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I also think that I've read something about egg/oyster shells dissolving quickly, and grit staying somewhere for longer? I may be wrong, though.

Yes because they're 2 different things serving different purposes.

 

[pibb]

For calcium, chickens love egg shells more than oyster shells but they pass through quicker than the oyster shells. I can pour crushed egg shells in an oyster shell container and they will pick out the egg shells before touching the oyster shells. I don't see why.

For grit, granite doesn't dissolve as quickly as oyster shells and stays in the gizzard longer to grind up things. I don't know if granite actually dissolves but it may just eventually grind itself down enough to pass through the gizzard.

 

[black_cat]

For grit, granite doesn't dissolve as quickly as oyster shells and stays in the gizzard longer to grind up things. I don't know if granite actually dissolves but it may just eventually grind itself down enough to pass through the gizzard.

Ok! That's what I thought,, but I didn't want to spread misinformation.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I don't know if granite actually dissolves but it may just eventually grind itself down enough to pass through the gizzard.

The latter - when it grinds down to the point where it's too small to do the job, the bird passes it out the poop chute. You might see it in the poop on occasion if you look closely enough.

 

[pibb]

I've seen oyster shell ground down but not grit. I'll have to look closer now.