Is it safe?

[ADozenGirlz]

So ground limestone is ok it said!

Hi there! I am the author of the article linked to above. I think you may have misunderstood what you read. Allow me to try to clear up this issue for you a bit.
First, if your hens are not eating the oyster shell, they do not need additional calcium in their diet. Don't worry about that. Hens do a good job of regulating their own calcium intake.
Next, I did not say that "ground limestone is okay" for you to feed your hens in the article. What I spoke about was the fact that most bagged layer feeds already contain crushed limestone, which is a small particle, fast-release source of calcium.
The hens benefit from the crushed limestone in their layer feed ONLY WHILE THEY ARE EATING during the day. It dissolves quickly into their bloodstream, so it gets where it needs to go rapidly.
Laying hens ALSO NEED a SLOW-RELEASE, large particle source of calcium in their diet, which is typically OYSTER SHELLS. The reason hens need the large particle source of calcium available to them IN ADDITION TO their layer feed (not mixed into it) is because the majority of the construction of an eggshell occurs while a hen is SLEEPING. When she's sleeping, she's not eating layer feed, therefore she does not have the fast-release, small-particle calcium source of crushed limestone available for use in her bloodstream to make eggshells.
While she is sleeping, she needs the LARGE PARTICLE, slow-release source of calcium (oyster shell) to make an eggshell. The oyster shell remains in her digestive tract (her gizzard) overnight and is ground down a little bit at a time and get trickled into her blood stream for use in the shell gland for to make her eggshell. Laying hens need BOTH types of calcium: a slow release source and a fast release source. Feed manufacturers already take care of the fast release source. We need to supply the slow-release source (oyster shells, usually). Feeding the hens crushed eggshells does not help them because it too is a fast-release source (they don't need two fast-release types of calcium, that'll just cause her kidneys to work overtime to excrete the extra calcium).
Keep it simple: Feed your laying hens a nutritionally complete layer feed and place a small dish of oyster shells in a dry location. They will eat what they need when they need it.
I hope that helps!

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

Hi there! I am the author of the article linked to above. I think you may have misunderstood what you read. Allow me to try to clear up this issue for you a bit.
First, if your hens are not eating the oyster shell, they do not need additional calcium in their diet. Don't worry about that. Hens do a good job of regulating their own calcium intake.
Next, I did not say that "ground limestone is okay" for you to feed your hens in the article. What I spoke about was the fact that most bagged layer feeds already contain crushed limestone, which is a small particle, fast-release source of calcium.
The hens benefit from the crushed limestone in their layer feed ONLY WHILE THEY ARE EATING during the day. It dissolves quickly into their bloodstream, so it gets where it needs to go rapidly.
Laying hens ALSO NEED a SLOW-RELEASE, large particle source of calcium in their diet, which is typically OYSTER SHELLS. The reason hens need the large particle source of calcium available to them IN ADDITION TO their layer feed (not mixed into it) is because the majority of the construction of an eggshell occurs while a hen is SLEEPING. When she's sleeping, she's not eating layer feed, therefore she does not have the fast-release, small-particle calcium source of crushed limestone available for use in her bloodstream to make eggshells.
While she is sleeping, she needs the LARGE PARTICLE, slow-release source of calcium (oyster shell) to make an eggshell. The oyster shell remains in her digestive tract (her gizzard) overnight and is ground down a little bit at a time and get trickled into her blood stream for use in the shell gland for to make her eggshell. Laying hens need BOTH types of calcium: a slow release source and a fast release source. Feed manufacturers already take care of the fast release source. We need to supply the slow-release source (oyster shells, usually). Feeding the hens crushed eggshells does not help them because it too is a fast-release source (they don't need two fast-release types of calcium, that'll just cause her kidneys to work overtime to excrete the extra calcium).
Keep it simple: Feed your laying hens a nutritionally complete layer feed and place a small dish of oyster shells in a dry location. They will eat what they need when they need it.
I hope that helps!

Hi, and thanks for reclarifying what I read. Yes I did read all that in your article, lots of great information. My girls are fed a mix ration of all flock and layer feed as I have a mix age of girls, the youngest being 3 months. I have read that calcium before egg laying can damage the kidneys so I do not feed 100% layer feed. My older girls will not eat it as im pretty positive because I have soft shell, shell less, no shell/membrane, but I also get eggs laid very early in morning or after roost on the coop floor that are mentioned above. These are not laid during day light hours, so that tells me someone is not getting enough calcium correct? I really appreciate your help, thanks.

 

[123RedBeard]

Why not just take a hammer to some of the oyster shells you already have?

If it is true that laying hens need BOTH fast and slow release calcium ... then the feed mills that that sell the commercial layer feed have both kinds in it, I'm quite sure the eggs farm/factories don't add oyster shell on the side ...

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Hi, and thanks for reclarifying what I read. Yes I did read all that in your article, lots of great information. My girls are fed a mix ration of all flock and layer feed as I have a mix age of girls, the youngest being 3 months. I have read that calcium before egg laying can damage the kidneys so I do not feed 100% layer feed. My older girls will not eat it as im pretty positive because I have soft shell, shell less, no shell/membrane, but I also get eggs laid very early in morning or after roost on the coop floor that are mentioned above. These are not laid during day light hours, so that tells me someone is not getting enough calcium correct? I really appreciate your help, thanks.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

You should not mix the two varieties of chicken feed. The younger birds should not eat layer feed at all. It taxes their kidneys. Everyone can eat the Flock Raiser. The layers need the oyster shell, so keep a dish out for them.
The time the eggs are laid has nothing to do with the amount of oyster shell they're getting.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Why not just take a hammer to some of the oyster shells you already have?

If it is true that laying hens need BOTH fast and slow release calcium ... then the feed mills that that sell the commercial layer feed have both kinds in it, I'm quite sure the eggs farm/factories don't add oyster shell on the side ...

Purina Poultry's Oyster Strong® system has both forms of calcium in it. You might want to speak with a poultry nutritionist to clarify your confusion. Purina Poultry has animal nutritionists available to answer such questions at this link: https://www.purinamills.com/ask-an-expert?navid=footer>Purina>ask-an-expert

 

[aart]

Everyone can eat the Flock Raiser. The layers need the oyster shell, so keep a dish out for them.

@ADozenGirlz Will they still need a fast release calcium source.....or is just the OS enough?
Is fast vs slow release just about particle size?

 

[123RedBeard]

Purina Poultry's Oyster Strong® system has both forms of calcium in it. You might want to speak with a poultry nutritionist to clarify your confusion. Purina Poultry has animal nutritionists available to answer such questions at this link: https://www.purinamills.com/ask-an-expert?navid=footer>Purina>ask-an-expert

Only question I had ... was "why not take a hammer to "too big" OS?" ...

The OP was questioning that the size may be detrimental to them eating, and the reason of soft/no shell eggs ... of course it may have nothing to do with the amount of calcium they are getting, they just may have other genetic reproduction issues too!

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Why not just take a hammer to some of the oyster shells you already have?

That would be the easiest thing to do. Oyster shell is pretty soft compared to rock.

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

Why not just take a hammer to some of the oyster shells you already have?

If it is true that laying hens need BOTH fast and slow release calcium ... then the feed mills that that sell the commercial layer feed have both kinds in it, I'm quite sure the eggs farm/factories don't add oyster shell on the side ...

Oh I have tried the hammer, oyster shells are very hard to crush.