Too much calcium

[NatJ]

As we offer them crushed egg shells, and have plenty, why would we need to purchase oyster shell?

If you have so many egg shells that some is always available to the chickens, so they can eat as much as they want and never run out, then you probably do not need to buy oyster shell.

But if your chickens eat all the egg shell you give them, they may want more: buying oyster shell would give them the option to eat more when they feel the need. Chickens tend to be good at eating the right amount of calcium for their own needs, when they are given the opportunity to do so.

So that's a reason why some people would feel the need to buy oyster shell even when they provide eggshells to the chickens.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

If you have so many egg shells that some is always available to the chickens, so they can eat as much as they want and never run out, then you probably do not need to buy oyster shell.

But if your chickens eat all the egg shell you give them, they may want more: buying oyster shell would give them the option to eat more when they feel the need. Chickens tend to be good at eating the right amount of calcium for their own needs, when they are given the opportunity to do so.

So that's a reason why some people would feel the need to buy oyster shell even when they provide eggshells to the chickens.

And it doesn’t spoil!

Mine are on chick feed and layer feed, half and half (trying to use up bags.) They’ve never liked the chunks of oyster shell, so I followed a recommendation I read here for flaked oyster shell.

We just started it yesterday, and they seem a lot happier than with the chunks, that are still in the grit and shell double feeder.

I hate giving even more money to Darth Bezos, but with no local sources, I ordered them from Amazon:

(Posting in case this helps someone else with the same issue.)

 

[BigBlueHen53]

OK, OK. Easy does it Wyorp Rock. I've done all that. Google. I'm just how many people on this group contradict each other. Everybody has a different opinion about various subjects. JS LOGGING, BEDDING, FEED, HEALTH ETC..

There are lots of people here on BYC and as someone said, we run the gamut from folks with three hens in a backyard who've just joined, to people who've had 40 or 50 hens on 20 acres for 20 years. So of course opinions are going to reflect those experiences, or lack thereof. I've had chickens for 15 years myself, been a member here for about 5, but there's tons I don't know because my birds have always been pretty healthy. So I know little, for example, about respiratory diseases or cancer. One thing I do know, though, and that is that I can trust the opinions of the people here that have a black Educator badge by their names. Those people are not just experienced, they are knowledgeable. And trustworthy. They know what they're talking about. They've done the research. So you don't have to listen to them. But you really should. Welcome to BYC.

 

[C Siena]

If you're getting good results then what you're doing is fine for you.

Since you're using layer feed which is usually around 4% calcium (vs around 1% in an all flock), you're already adding in extra calcium via the feed in addition to the eggshells.

I feed both layer and starter so my calcium via feed is closer to 2%, which isn't enough by itself to maintain eggshell strength, hence the need to supplement oyster as they can't recycle enough from their own eggshells alone.

Thanks. They have been eating a little more egg shells in the last week as we have pullets on starter and they are eating "some" of that, hence them eating more shells. I still have layer feed on one side as the pullets have not travelled to that area in their 3 weeks free ranging. They are just beginning to travel further so I'm sure in the next few days, layer feed may stay in the bag for 8 weeks. I'm watching.

 

[C Siena]

If you have so many egg shells that some is always available to the chickens, so they can eat as much as they want and never run out, then you probably do not need to buy oyster shell.

But if your chickens eat all the egg shell you give them, they may want more: buying oyster shell would give them the option to eat more when they feel the need. Chickens tend to be good at eating the right amount of calcium for their own needs, when they are given the opportunity to do so.

So that's a reason why some people would feel the need to buy oyster shell even when they provide eggshells to the chickens.

Thank you. I will continue to keep an eye on how much they consume. Some days they eat it all, other days they leave some. I'm leaving more due to the chick starter being out and the mass quantities of cicadas they are eating.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Weighing in here.

Both egg shells and oyster shell contain calcium in the form of calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is almost useless to us Human types, but its the preferred form of calcium for poultry here in the US (diCalcium Phosphate and Calcium DiPhosphate are arguably better, but are used less - expense, mostly. You say their use more around the Mediterranean basin). Of the two, because it is so much thinner and more brittle, egg shells dissolve faster in a chicken's digestion, providing a somewhat faster but shorter, calcium boost.


Calcium Citrate (the form of calcium we humans can readily absorb) breaks down much faster than calcium carbonate, and is the form recommended when you have a bird suffering some malady (like egg-binding) potentially improved by a swift kick in the calcium - but due to its rapid absorption, its not good for long term maintenance/routine shell production support.

It is well established, via study and experience, that given the choice, most chickens are rather good at self-regulating their calcium intake.

Therefore, many of us here on BYC with mixed flocks of differing age, gender, and frequency of lay (or status of molt) offer an "All Flock"-type feed with free choice oyster shell on the side. Yes, "oyster shell, oyster shell, oyster shell".

Can you offer egg shells instead??? Of course you can. Its the same calcium. SO, why don't we with the "EDUCATOR" badge next to our names do that? Because no system is 100% efficient. A bird "deposits" less calcium in its egg shells than it needs for maintaining its body and producing future egg shells. Calcium is important for a bunch of other functions. The roughly 1-1.5% calcium they get in an "All Flock"-type formulation should be adequate for maintaining body condition and routine metabolic activities, nothing more. So feeding eggshells back to the flock, ON ITS OWN, isn't enough calcium long term. That's why we don't recommend it as part of the routine "how to feed" advice for new owners.

Can you buy eggs and feed your birds the shells? Of course you can - but a small bag of oyster shell can be had for the price of 2 dozen eggs, and is slower dissolving (so better for overnight egg production). Is there any reason not to feed egg shells back to your flock when you are offering free choice oyster shell? Not really, there is a tiny possibility it can be a disease vector, but plenty of us do. For instance, i routinely throw egg shells back to my birds, I keep free choice oyster shell in dishes for my birds, and I made this lengthy post while I should have been eating lunch.

I then watch to see which birds run for them. (Usually, its my pekin ducks). If all the birds are ignoring the egg shells** [as often happens] but one bird, that's a bird I will pay special attention too check for illness/injuries that could result in enhanced calcium needs. and if it is otherwise healthy, expect for an abnormal calcium need day after day, month after month? That's not a bird I'll want to keep as a breeder.

**be aware if you throw raw egg shells, your birds may be gobbling them up not for the calcium, but rather for the protein in any albumin still clinging to the egg. Also, no need to crush egg shells. Bake them only if you are concerned for disease or odor. Risks of both are very, very, low.

Hope that helps answer some of your Qs, @Clukcluks

 

[C Siena]

I keep free choice oyster shell in dishes for my birds, and I made this lengthy post while I should have been eating lunch.

Thank you for the information. I hope you had time for lunch.
I ingest my calcium from raw milk as I prefer to have that instead of the calcium citrate or carbonate, which contain a lesser % of elemental calcium. I'm trying my best to receive most of the nutrition from food (organic from our garden preserved) instead of pill.
The organic meat will have to wait until we have other livestock. We're looking into organic feed for the chickens, goodness it's expensive.
Anyway, thank you again.

 

[Bawkbok]

We're looking into organic feed for the chickens, goodness it's expensive.

Yes, it is expensive. Our local feed store won't carry non GMO and primarily only carries the layer feed. We buy the Kalmbach, all flock non GMO feed from Chewy.com. It's on auto ship so we don't have to worry about forgetting to order. The girls love it and we are getting fantastic eggs, perfect shells, all are healthy -- (knock on wood). We manage a small flock. If you have 20 hens I can see where it would be cost prohibitive rather quickly.
Yes, we offer OS on the side at all times. We rarely feed them back their shells, mostly because I forget to, but they do like to munch on those as well.

 

[C Siena]

Yes, it is expensive. Our local feed store won't carry non GMO and primarily only carries the layer feed. We buy the Kalmbach, all flock non GMO feed from Chewy.com. It's on auto ship so we don't have to worry about forgetting to order. The girls love it and we are getting fantastic eggs, perfect shells, all are healthy -- (knock on wood). We manage a small flock. If you have 20 hens I can see where it would be cost prohibitive rather quickly.
Yes, we offer OS on the side at all times. We rarely feed them back their shells, mostly because I forget to, but they do like to munch on those as well.

We had 17 layers and added this year, 6 2.5 month pullets and 15 7 week old, of which we are fairly certain that 3-4 are cockerels. We only have room for 8-9 pullets of the 15. That will be a total of 31/32 layers...expensive to feed them organic. At least the free range all day every day and our land is organic
We have been offering crushed egg shells as a couple customers return the eggs shells every week, which gives us 6 dozen shells a week. I'm certain we will need to purchase OS as the pullets begin to lay.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

We had 17 layers and added this year, 6 2.5 month pullets and 15 7 week old, of which we are fairly certain that 3-4 are cockerels. We only have room for 8-9 pullets of the 15. That will be a total of 31/32 layers...expensive to feed them organic. At least the free range all day every day and our land is organic
We have been offering crushed egg shells as a couple customers return the eggs shells every week, which gives us 6 dozen shells a week. I'm certain we will need to purchase OS as the pullets begin to lay.

Your flock might be big enough to make @Perris ‘s homemade feed economically viable, depending on the cost of the raw ingredients in your area. Sending up the bat signal!