egg shells

[dadsgirl]

i have heard to feed you chickens egg shellls, is this true, looks like to me if they eat egg shells this would cause them to break and eat there eggs, anyone know what is the real anwser?

 

[Portia]

My understanding is that egg shells are used to boost their calcium intake and assure well formed shells on their eggs. Given that knowledge, you could also offer oyster shell as free choice. My girls (and roo) eat the oyster shell as needed. I've never given them egg shells b/c I too would be concerned about promoting egg eating behaviors. However, I guess that if you crush them fine enough the chickens don't make the association? But what do I know, the experts will set this straight in time.

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
I give GRIT for calcium . Egg shells are very hard now , BUT I so limit the amount of grit I do give . MAYBE twice a week and limited amounts . I was also told NOT to mix GRIT with their feed , PUT out small bowl . TRUE OR FALSE ?

 

[Portia]

Good question, can't answer all of that but my understanding was that grit was to help with digestion in the crop vs calcium intake. My chickens free range, so I don't give them any grit; they get plenty of grinding material from foraging in the yard & woods.

 

[miss_jayne]

i leave crushed oyster shells in a bowl for mine. they eat as they need. this is for their shell production. also, i give them egg shells after all the time. i crush them up and throw them out on the yard. they love them.

grit is for digestion. chickens don't have teeth, the grit acts like teeth for them in the digestive system.

we have not experienced them eating their own eggs. i do use golf balls as fake out eggs in their nests. hard when they peck at them. lets them know eggs are not food for them.

hope this is helpful.

 

[DLS]

I cook shells in the microwave for 1 min - crush & feed they love them.= free calcium.

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
ALSO , the golf balls are for ANY EGG snakes that enter , they will swallow the golfballs and BINGO ....

 

[jhc]

We save our egg shells after breakfast,crush them up and feed them back to the chickens. No problems with them going after their own eggs.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Whenever I use eggs, I rinse them out, put them in a plastic bowl, and microwave them for 3 minutes. What that does, is make the egg shells nice and crunchy, and easy to eat. My hens get excited when they see the crushed up egg shells comming. They gulp them down really fast.


Instead of throwing the shells out, why not give them back to the chicken. Egg shells are calcium, which a chicken needs to make more eggs.

 

[cajunlizz]

well , I read several places and also in here that they do not need alot of calcium , and we should limit the amount given .