I’ve heard that you can substitute egg shells for oyster shells. Is this true?

[Skyleen13]

My chickens aren’t old enough yet to start laying eggs but I’ve read that you can supplement their calcium with egg shells instead of oyster shells. Is this true? If it’s true how to I store, & prepare them for my gals to eat? Do I need to cook or bake the shells before I give them to my chicken

 

[diamondsilkies]

I've done this for a few years now and it's seemed to work fine. Never had any issues with calcium deficiencies. I just keep a plastic container by my sink, the kind that salad mixes come in. Whenever I use an egg, I give the shell quick rinse off in the sink, shake off the excess water, and toss it in. When the tub gets full, I use the bottom of a yogurt container to crush them up. I only ever give them their own eggs; I throw out any store-bought eggshells if I have them. Probably wouldn't hurt them, but I figure better safe than sorry.

 

[chrissynemetz]

You can bake them, or just crumble them up and toss them to your chickens. I do both.

 

[Skyleen13]

I've done this for a few years now and it's seemed to work fine. Never had any issues with calcium deficiencies. I just keep a plastic container by my sink, the kind that salad mixes come in. Whenever I use an egg, I give the shell quick rinse off in the sink, shake off the excess water, and toss it in. When the tub gets full, I use the bottom of a yogurt container to crush them up. I only ever give them their own eggs; I throw out any store-bought eggshells if I have them. Probably wouldn't hurt them, but I figure better safe than sorry.

Thank you!

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Eggs shells MIGHT have enough supplemental calcium if you give your hens layer feed with calcium in it. If you give them all flock, I'd go with oyster shell - you need to remember, if you're only putting back what comes out (calcium-wise), you're losing calcium, since no animal is 100% efficient at processing a nutrient.

A 50 lb bag of oyster shell is $11.99 at TSC. Hard to think of many things you can buy 50 lbs of for cheaper than that!

 

[Rainwing]

Yes, you just crumble them up for the hens. It might look like they don't eat them at first but when my gals are pecking around out of boredom they eat a lot of eggshell pieces, it's just hard to notice.

 

[Skyleen13]

Yes, you just crumble them up for the hens. It might look like they don't eat them at first but when my gals are pecking around out of boredom they eat a lot of eggshell pieces, it's just hard to notice.

Thank you!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Okay lone one out here buy oyster 50 lbs at time best price have lots of birds
three coops

 

[texsuze]

I, too, have that 50# bag of crushed oyster shells, but I also use my girls' eggshells and zap them in the microwave for about a minute, maybe longer. Once I have several, I grind them up with a mortar and pestle (wish I had a mini blender.....). I put the oyster shell and the ground eggshells in a little ceramic dish, one for each run. My girls have this available, free-choice, since I feed a Flock Raiser feed.

 

[Skyleen13]

You can bake them, or just crumble them up and toss them to your chickens. I do both.

Thank you!