Eggs shells are like rocks...

[mdkrush]

I have been feeding them Purina Layers feed and also clam shells (about a hand full per 7lbs of regular). Should I stop with the clam shells?

The eggs are seriously difficult to crack open... I didn't notice till I got some eggs from a friend that were fertilized and all of them wouldn't fit under my broody hen... So we ate them.

Also, the broody hen should hatch out the chicks on the 3rd of next month. I kept her in with the others and got some flock grower feed for the chicks. Is it ok to feed them all the flock grower? I read in another post that you can do that and use the shells and the chicks wont eat the shells...

Also #2, I just got a new rooster, is it okay for him to eat the layers feed?

Also #3, what is the medicated feed? Should I use that sometime?

Thanks.

 

[Judy]

Mine are hard to crack, too. I think we get used to those store bought eggs. I would offer the calcium source separately, if you're not, and let them take what they want.

Flock raiser with oyster shells is fine for all of them. People have kept roosters on layer for years -- but really, something like a flock raiser is better, as they certainly don't need that calcium.

Medicated feed has been medicated (usually) with amprolium, which is a coccidiostat. Cocci are protozoa that live in the soil everywhere. The chickens gradually build immunity to it as they mature. Chicks raised with broodies have a better opportunity to build immunity that brooder raised chicks, as they eat some of Mom's poop and get some immunity from that. The amprolium is a thiamine uptake inhibitor, that acts in the protozoa, which results in the cocci not growing and reproducing as much. The idea is to keep the number of cocci down while the new chicks build immunity. If chickens actually become sick with cocci, the first recommended treatment is also amprolium, but at a much higher dose than what is in medicated feed. The common brand name of this is Corid.

 

[chfite]

The rock hard shells were a surprise to us, too. When the girls stated laying,my daughter started using the eggs for cooking. The first thing she noticed was how hard the shells were. Now, we are used to it.

Chris

 

[donrae]

Exactly what Flockwatcher said. Saved me the typing, thanks!