Eggshells as calcium additive

[RoyalChick]

I use both, mainly to stretch out my dollar as oyster shell isn't cheap (I buy 100% flaked shells, not the "pelleted" kind) and because some of my birds are less enthusiastic about oyster shell.

Eggshells taken strictly from your flock don't provide enough extra calcium in that there's no way to extract 100% of the calcium that went into them out of them. If you feed strictly layer feed just eggshell may be enough to meet your layers' needs due to the additional 4% calcium in the feed, but if you feed grower or all flock, you will probably need some oyster shell or other form of calcium as well to meet their needs.

Absolutely right.
I give mine eggshells, oyster shell and Cuttlefish bone.

 

[Brooks_]

Cuttlefish bone

I didn't realize they had a bone.

 

[DLA]

I bake and crush up my egg shells and add it to their feed, also have oyster shell available. Seems to work fine and saves on buying oyster shell as often.

 

[ViKulik]

I save and bake my egg shells and crush them up to put in their feed but not instead of supplying oyster shells. I have never known my chickens to supplement with the oyster. Every now and then when the container ( a small galvanized poultry drinker) gets too much rain water in it I dump it in the run, clean it and fill it back up. I'm not really saving money, just doing busy work while I wait for a pot to boil mostly.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I didn't realize they had a bone.

They sell cuttlefish "bone" for parakeets and other small parrots - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuttlebone

 

[Brooks_]

They sell cuttlefish "bone" for parakeets and other small parrots - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuttlebone

I've seen that thing before, just never thought of it as bone. Or, whatever.

 

[The cheek coop]

We also (re)use our egg shells. We’ve never had an issue.

 

[RoyalChick]

I've seen that thing before, just never thought of it as bone. Or, whatever.

I don’t think it is technically a bone but is commonly referred to as one. It is just a big slab of calcium carbonate(?).

 

[gadus]

Thanks to all who replied. I'm now mixing in my crushed shell with the feed. But also will provide oyster shell "on the side" going forward.

 

[saysfaa]

If you feed the eggshells on the side then they will each take what they need. It is much harder for them to do that if it is mixed in the feed.

The eggshells can be mixed with the oyster shells; mine pick the eggshells out first and then take some of the oyster shells if they need more.