Providing extra calcium

[chiknhurder]

I have oyster shell available at all times to all my birds. They'll begin eating it when they need it.

 

[stevenbdamascus]

I have 16 week old chickens. I've looked up when to add extra calcium but couldn't find anything. Do you know anything about when to add it?

Are the free roaming or do yo keep them penned if they are penned I was told by local experts that you add oyster shell about laying age and if free roaming only when you notice thin shells. Hopefully this helps you.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

In gail damarow's book "poultry health handbook" she suggests feeding hens both the laying pellets and offering oyster shell on the side; i always have mixed ages and roos though so i just offer on the side; I have had young birds go after the oyster shell though so i've been more careful lately with it.

I am particularly interested in the high protein bit: How much is too much? I thought a high protein diet was good for breeder birds.... Now i'm worried i may have been giving too much?I was giving all purpose and gamebird; which is in the 20-24% i think vs the 16% of the finisher......

Mine i believe are what's called "pastured" meaning they only free roam when i'm out there to supervise; otherwise they are penned. Too many predators here!

 

[Scott H]

Mine free range and I've seen them go back into the coop just to eat oyster shell....the only other times I've seen them go back in the coop is to lay and of course, to roost. ;-)

 

[purplesquirrel]

Can you give them finely crushed up chicken egg shell from the shops? I've been collecting loads and I want to know if they're safe/beneficial.

thanks.

 

[Kelsakat]

That seems like a lot of work. I'll just get some oyster sheels from the local MFA. It's not to expensive and the chickens really seem to like it. Plus it give me time to work on other things for said chickens.

 

[Triple Willow]

I've been reading a book on Feeding Poultry written by GF Heuser ages ago. Heuser was an educator who specialized in poultry science. The book compiles information from various experiments conducted up to the point of writing. As you an imagine, the question of calcium comes up a lot in the book, and the best results are usually found with offering calcium supplements "free choice" a couple of weeks before birds might start to lay. Then continuing to offer it "free choice" thereafter.

Here is a link to that book, which is available to read for free online. http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924003011545;view=1up;seq=15 (the book has also been reprinted and is available through Amazon). 

A more recent study I read suggests the calcium appetite for the bird increases at the point in the egg-formation cycle where the shell is being added to the egg. This time is generally in the afternoons ... It is most efficient if the calcium supplement particles are a particular size and if birds can pick up the calcium the need at that time. Here is a link to that information (it is also a great explanation of the egg formation process, and describes what causes different irregularities in egg shells):

http://www.nutrecocanada.com/docs/s...-formation-and-eggshell-quality-in-layers.pdf

Yes, egg shells can be used as a calcium supplement, but it will take more eggshells than the hens will lay. Personally, I use oyster shell which I offer in a designated hopper. Also, I do keep the shells from the eggs we use in this household in a big metal bowl. When that bowl is full, I bake it for a few minutes, then I crush the shells to a size similar to the oyster shell, then I put the egg shells in the oyster shell hopper so the birds can eat it if they want to. It always disappears.

Thanks for the link to the book. Great info!

 

[MaPa26]

When my hens were very young, barely feathered out, I started giving them plain yogurt because it was recommended as a treat and good for their digestive tract. THEN I read that too much calcium was harmful if they are not yet of laying age. So I cut back on the yogurt and starting fermenting their feed. After they started to lay eggs, I gave them a couple of tablespoons, each, on top of their feed, every other day, or so. They love it so much. I probably should have added oyster shells then, as we did get some "no shell, just thick membrane" eggs, at first. But I read that in the beginning, those are not uncommon. In a couple of months, all eggs had a nice shell, sometimes so thick that the eggs are hard to crack!

Just mixing in little dollops of plain Greek yogurt, into moistened layer pellets.

 

[88keysau]

Interesting thread and thanks for the links! I now have more info about not just calcium but other things to look at in shell quality

 

[MommaChicken3]

My girls are all on a layer feed with a little bit of cracked corn for a tasty treat. I dont think mine necessarily need oyster shells but I do always give them a side dish of oyster shells and they eat it as they need it. Seems they know best what their little bodies need. However previous to feeding the oyster shells, the egg shells were just fine, but it doesnt hurt to give the option. I dont mix it in with the layer feed because I dont want to force feed them the oyster shells. They just walk over to the shells when they feel they need it and take a little nibble