I think I created a problem

[Byrd gal]

I was feeding egg shells to my girls. I saw in a post you should feed crushed oyster shells so I switched and stopped the egg shells. Well, now they are eating eggs. they actually fought over the shell not the egg. Are they deficient in something? I guess the egg shells are back on the menu with the oyster shells but they won't touch them the feeder is still completely full. They are 11 mos old and are eating dumor layer feed 16. Any suggestions?

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Crush up the egg shells and put them on top of the oyster shell. I sprinkle some scratch feed on top to get their attention too.

 

[Araucana Nest]

They shouldn’t need additional calcium if you are feeding a layer feed.
That said, when I switched my hens to a higher protein all flock ration, my older hens didn’t eat the oyster shell for additional calcium. They do eat crushed egg shell that is very finely ground up and dried. I was told this isn’t as good as oyster shell or even as good as whole crushed egg shells with large pieces. I ended switching my older hens back to a complete layer ration when their egg shells became thin and everything is good again.

 

[Brown Chick]

Same thing happened to me. I fed the shells twice and the hens started eating eggs like the next day. I spent an entire weekend blowing eggs and filling them with liquid soap to try to stop them.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Huh. I never have problems with egg eating aside from when they're lacking a calcium or protein (I have a few hens that for some reason are just notorious for laying soft and brittle eggs so I think they have a calcium absorption problem) and I crack the eggs right there for them and feed then everything immediately