Milk question

[dragonlair]

I have dairy goats, probably more than I really need. I have always fed extra milk to my chickens and never had a problem with thin shelled or soft eggs. The 6 pullets I got yesterday recently started laying. I noticed 2 of the eggs were thin/soft shelled. I also noticed that their former home did not have oyster shells out, just layer pellets. I gave the girls fresh goat milk last night and again this morning. They love it.

Now the question, will they need oyster shell if they are getting milk every day? All the years before, I would put it out but they never seemed to eat it and the shell quality was fine. Is the calcium in the milk enough to harden the soft shells of these new girls or should I pick up some oyster shell tomorrow?

 

[Big dreams]

I am no expert but I wouldn't worry to much about it, mine did have a couple of soft shelled eggs even with oyster shell but only when they just started to lay, now they are fine. Hope this helps, maybe someone else will have more info.

 

[JennsPeeps]

New layers often have soft-shelled eggs.

 

[Chickenfortress]

You give them goat milk? I'd think it would work fine for the shells, but...
think of all the cheese you're missing out on! The cost of shell as opposed to the cost of goat cheese makes your sacrifice for your chickens seem a tad high. And this comes from someone who gives ham as a treat. MMMMMMmmmmmm...goatcheese.

 

[sm0kin]

We have always given our chickens goat milk. Now they are just starting to lay and they have very thick shells. I have always wondered what side effects goat milk would have being high in protein and low in iron.

 

[midget_farms]

I got my first soft shell today! not to hijack your post but it was crazy. Thought it was a turtle egg!

It was from a young hen I think. The old hens lay a different color egg than the young ones.

They get plenty of free ranging and layer feed. That has extra calcium.
I can't wait until tomorrow to see if I have more.

 

[dragonlair]

I have plenty of goat cheese too. In fact, I have so much milk that I make cottage cheese every day for my dogs. Now it will be the hens.

 

[Kezzie]

So...jealous....

 

[Kiwi Chicky]

We give our girls freash cows milk and they love it, I'd say goats milk would be just as good for them