Hens, soft shells and how long does it take?

Oliveview · « **on:** June 11, 2007, 09:26 »

How long does it take for the shells to harden after adding crushed oyster shell to their food? I´ve been giving it now for a week and we are getting a soft shelled egg still, laid not in the nesting box but under the perch where they roost. I´ve added a handful of the shell with every scoop of food and put a dish of shell out for them (not that they seem to touch it!)
They get green stuff every day, although my spinach has finished and the lettuces are used up, so I´m going to be hunting for greenery for them, they are very particular, only scoffing the lettuce and spinach the rest gets picked over and rejected. They will soon have to get used to weeds!
Pamela (in Spain)

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #1 on:** June 11, 2007, 10:19 »

If you don't think they are eatng the crushed oyster try making some soft food for them.

Layers pellets or mash with added finely crushed oyster shell (I used my coffee grinder, but don't tell Worzel). Add any other things they like, corn, bird seed sunflower seeds - whatever - add a little boiling water, just enough to not quite cover it. Let it soak for a few mins and "fluff up" like you do boiled rice.

I add a few drops of cod liver oil too because Vitamin D is needed for calcium absorption in the gut, but I would not have thought hens in spain would be short of Vit D with all that sunshine.

Oliveview · « **Reply #2 on:** June 14, 2007, 08:33 »

I went to the pet man (animal feed too.... resisted buying a Chihuahua pup) and bought a sack of food called layers. Hubby said it looks and smells like the food his gran fed her chickens on. (he said that with a nostalgic look on his face

) It said it had vit d added.
I had another soft egg this morning- it was laid under the roosting perch and was broken. As it is a´soft shell does it just ´slip out´?? They never lay outside the nesting box normally!
Pamela (in Spain)

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #3 on:** June 14, 2007, 10:02 »

Quote from: "oliveview"

As it is a´soft shell does it just ´slip out´?? They never lay outside the nesting box normally!
Pamela (in Spain)

Yes I think they probably do :shock:

As you have layers pellets or mash now it should correct the problem as it contains calcium, but I would offer crushed oyster shell (and grit) to your hens too to give their calcium level a boost.

alan42 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 14, 2007, 14:23 »

layers pellets have everything your hens need to lay they shouldent need supplimentry grit or shell but its up to you.
alan

GrannieAnnie · « **Reply #5 on:** June 14, 2007, 15:37 »

We give ours some extra oyster shell and grit, plus their layers pellets, but we still regularly get soft shelled eggs. And they get plenty of green stuff too.

Aunt Sally · « **Reply #6 on:** June 14, 2007, 17:45 »

Layers pellets are a complete food as Alan says. But if your hens free range they are not just eating layers pellets and probably not eating sufficient of them in a day, a supplement of oyster shell under these circumstances is a good idea

Oliveview · « **Reply #7 on:** June 19, 2007, 09:28 »

I gave them their snail feast this morning, they just looked at the big snails and ignored them, so I crushed the snails with a brick and left the hens tucking in.

The small hens did not get a look in, but as it is one of the bigger hens laying the soft shell I did not mind. Got another soft shell this morning, so will cook it for tea tonight.

Pamela
in Spain

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