Would this work for giving my quail/chickens calcium?

[drewskimac]

Hey guys, i currently have a group of quail that refuse to eat eggshell/oyster shell. So, i have an idea, although just an idea.

My thinking was that i could throw the eggshells in the oven at around 200 and once they are dried and crunchy, i will put them in a ninja food processor. This should get them to a powdery texture, and i was thinking that i could mix that powder with the water in the quail's rabbit style waterer.

Is this a dumb idea or do people do this ? would it work for giving them calcium?

 

[Percheron chick]

I will just settle on the bottom. Take the dried crushed egg shells and either mix them with some scrambled eggs or make a mash out of their feed mixed with a few treats like milk or spinach.

 

[drewskimac]

I will just settle on the bottom. Take the dried crushed egg shells and either mix them with some scrambled eggs or make a mash out of their feed mixed with a few treats like milk or spinach.



I'll try that, thanks.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I wouldn't mix a high calcium source with any feed unless you are trying to make a layer feed from grower or your own mix. The hens need to be able to choose whether to eat it. If they aren't eating oyster shell, they don't need it.

 

[drewskimac]

I wouldn't mix a high calcium source with any feed unless you are trying to make a layer feed from grower or your own mix. The hens need to be able to choose whether to eat it. If they aren't eating oyster shell, they don't need it.

Thanks

 

[ChickenLegs13]

I raise about 1,000 quail a year but have no idea how much ca they need and don't care enough to research it. I know my quail feed (game starter) has 1.5% and my chicken layer feed has 4%.
What I do just to be on the safe side, is to sprinkle finely crunched up egg shells over their feeders once a week or sometimes give them layer once a week. I'm not strict about this, only do it when I think about it.
The reason I said I didn't care is because I don't want rock hard eggs because it makes it harder for the chicks to hatch, and, I don't keep my hens long enough to worry about a ca deficiency.
If I was concerned about ca I'd keep a bowl of free choice crunched up egg or oyster shells in their cages. You said yours wouldn't eat it, so do the ninja powder thing you mentioned but serve it free choice, not in their water.

 

[drewskimac]

I raise about 1,000 quail a year but have no idea how much ca they need and don't care enough to research it. I know my quail feed (game starter) has 1.5% and my chicken layer feed has 4%.
What I do just to be on the safe side, is to sprinkle finely crunched up egg shells over their feeders once a week or sometimes give them layer once a week. I'm not strict about this, only do it when I think about it.
The reason I said I didn't care is because I don't want rock hard eggs because it makes it harder for the chicks to hatch, and, I don't keep my hens long enough to worry about a ca deficiency.
If I was concerned about ca I'd keep a bowl of free choice crunched up egg or oyster shells in their cages. You said yours wouldn't eat it, so do the ninja powder thing you mentioned but serve it free choice, not in their water.

I'll try it, thankyou.