Egg shells in place of grit
- Thread starter kitty
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darkbrowneggs
New member
I think you need to use a surprising amount of eggshells and limestone grit is not expensive, but nowadays layers pellets contain pretty well as much as most birds need. The vitamins in codliver oil or flax seed are probably more important, as it will help them absorb the calcium.
Grit doesn't have the same function as oystershell, grit is what hens use to grind up hard particles of food such as grain in their gizzards because they don't have any teeth to chew with, to break it down. You can buy bags of what's called Mixed Grit quite cheaply and this usually consists of a mixture of small insoluble bits of flint grit, for the grinding, and bits of broken oystershell, which is soluble when the chickens eat it (although it doesn't look like it) and can act as a calcium supplement. If your hens are only fed on pellets they don't really need the grit, and the calcium they need will be in their pellets, as DBE says. If your birds can free range they will probably find grit for themselves if the area has any little griity stones available. However, most people give their birds a pot of grit to pick at, because its cheap, lasts for a long time, but may be needed in small amounts to aid their digestion. They can then pick at it if they feel the need.
Margaid
Well-known member
My birds are out in a large grass enclosure but I put out a pot of mixed grit. An egg laid 5 days after I got the hen was quite thin shelled but those laid since are nice and thick - but mine are on mixed grains not pellets. I've also seen the cockerel pecking at it and he certainly doesn't need calcium for eggshells!
chrismahon
Well-known member
Difference here is soluble and insoluble calcium Kitty. Grit contains insoluble calcium so they can't absorb it into their digestive system. Eggshells are soluble, so you are increasing their calcium intake. Now if you are using layers pellets at 3% that is enough -no more calcium required. If you have them on rearers at 1% calcium they can stand (and need) more. But too much and you risk kidney failure. My advice is give them layers pellets and DO NOT feed them crushed egg shells. It isn't a substitute for grit and can harm them.
I read recently that the mechanism for egg shells is more complex then first assumed. The calcium for the eggshells doesn't come from the diet but from their bones. Their diet then rebuilds the bones. Just added that for info -important consideration. I've switched our hens to rearers when not laying worrying about their calcium intake, but they actually still need layers pellets over that period to rebuild their bones.
I read recently that the mechanism for egg shells is more complex then first assumed. The calcium for the eggshells doesn't come from the diet but from their bones. Their diet then rebuilds the bones. Just added that for info -important consideration. I've switched our hens to rearers when not laying worrying about their calcium intake, but they actually still need layers pellets over that period to rebuild their bones.
Hens should always have access to mixed grit so they can help themselves. My reason for not feeding egg shells is that unless they are ground up very finely, it will lead to egg eating. The calcium levels in compound feed is diluted if other feed is given as well such as mixed corn.
granite in grower and chick size is available here in the states for digestion. Oyster shell is not a grit replacement. Serves the function of adding calcium. I have both free choice. I also feed my egg shells back to the girls, usually scrambled in with oatmeal and fruit, or scrambled in the eggs when I have WAY to many eggs on the counters...(right now I have 6 dozen) I have not had any that actively went to egg eating because of it. I think that having the free choice oyster shell is the reason. A lot of times, if you get egg eaters, from my understanding, is there is a deficiency in the diet. Not enough protien, not enough calcium.
chrismahon
Well-known member
Seen it happen during feathering up NovaAman. Feathers are mainly protein with calcium addition I think so that makes a lot of sense. We've fed ours scrambled egg when they kept laying in a mild Winter and all the tourist egg buyers were not there.
I've had a run of soft eggs in the last week despite putting out lots of oystershell (and filling the drinkers with our naturally very hard water). The girls are being fed Smallholder crumb, so they should be getting a balanced diet.
Several of the softies have been "not all there" when I've poo-picked the coop, i.e. one or more of the hens have been eating the contents - mainly the yolks. Yeterday I found the remains of one (just the soft shell & a little albumen left) in the greenhouse when I got home from work; the girls normally lay in the coop or nestbox. This one'd been laid after I'd cleaned the coop & gone to work, so no chance of removing it before it was eaten.
Is it possible that the hens have learned that, by not eating the oystershell, they produce softer eggs which they can easily eat? I haven't found a regular egg broken open yet, but I fear it's just a matter of time...
Several of the softies have been "not all there" when I've poo-picked the coop, i.e. one or more of the hens have been eating the contents - mainly the yolks. Yeterday I found the remains of one (just the soft shell & a little albumen left) in the greenhouse when I got home from work; the girls normally lay in the coop or nestbox. This one'd been laid after I'd cleaned the coop & gone to work, so no chance of removing it before it was eaten.
Is it possible that the hens have learned that, by not eating the oystershell, they produce softer eggs which they can easily eat? I haven't found a regular egg broken open yet, but I fear it's just a matter of time...
I don't think they've learned this connection but they soon learn what soft eggs are for! I'm afraid soft eggs are so common as to be expected sometimes from hybrids in their third laying season who have been intensively farmed in their first two years. After all, if they could be expected to go on producing perfect eggs, the farmer would probably have kept them, wouldn't he?
Calcium uptake in hens is very complex. it's not just a matter of giving them enough supplements. Interactions with other minerals and elements in their diet also play a part, and the approach of the end of lay in hens that have used up the majority of their egg cells and have worn out their egg laying equipment by frequent use makes it harder for them to lay strong eggs every time. All hens get to this stage sooner or later if they live long enough, but an exbatts life in the fast lane accelerates the process.
Calcium uptake in hens is very complex. it's not just a matter of giving them enough supplements. Interactions with other minerals and elements in their diet also play a part, and the approach of the end of lay in hens that have used up the majority of their egg cells and have worn out their egg laying equipment by frequent use makes it harder for them to lay strong eggs every time. All hens get to this stage sooner or later if they live long enough, but an exbatts life in the fast lane accelerates the process.
