[Flyin Chickens]

I keep two hens (have had them for about the last 4 months) and have had 2 "eggs" recently that have had no hard shell (One was laid outside the coop between 6pm and 8pm and the other was inside.

The hens are fed on an organic feed, with plenty of outside space for digging for bugs etc, I also provide them with a grit pot and re-feed them crushed egg shells.

Is this a common problem or something that I need to worry about?
 :?  :?  :?

[mushroom]

hi,

ok - I know nowt about keeping chooks but I think people supply calcium to the diet in something like crushed sea shell - I think I saw Muntjac posting about this..

what alarms me is that you're feeding eggshells to em - smacks of cannibalism and we all know where that led with cows...  :shock:

sounds like the eggs arent getting shells because of calcium/magnesium deficiency - but like I said there are ppl a lot more knowledgeable than me about chooks on this board - they no doubt will be along shortly

[Flyin Chickens]

I had read somewhere that feeding the eggshell helps to replace all that it has taken to produce the shell in the first place.

Not sure if this is correct or not so am looking for advice.

[mushroom]

a quick google:

http://msucares.com/poultry/feeds/poultry_thin_shells.html talks about oyster shell powder and grit, and also other reasons for thin/bad shells.

I'd not want to feed hens eggshells - I dunno it just doesn't seem right, they are not naturally cannibals. And you want the hens to identify egg-like things as something to keep not something to eat.

also this site
http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/livestock/poultry/bba01s07.html
advises against feeding hens eggshells because of their poor digestibility

[chickychick]

very knowledgable people will be along in a mo and tell you that you need oyster shell for your chickens to make into egg shells it is really cheep I just bought a huge sack for under £6 and if you feed em egg shells there is a chance they will get a taste for eggs and then you will be in trouble!

steps back and waits for the experts to sort this one out ...

[Flyin Chickens]

When the Eggshell is provided it has been fully dried out and ground to a fine shell (It may taste like shell but it looks like grit)

I am unsure where I read about feeding the shell to chickens but i will look at getting some oyster shell.

[Aunt Sally]

Oyster shell is the best way to get calcium into your hens.  

If you are giving them layers pellets they will be getting enough calcium ONLY if that is their complete diet.  If like my hens the free range about and dig for bugs and seeds then then will not be eating sufficient layers pellets to get enough calcium.

If you offer a dish of mixed poultry grit (stones) and oyster shell they will take what they need to make up any deficiency.  If the shells are still soft try adding a few drops of cod liver oil to their pellets to boost their vitamin D.

[richyrich7]

Hiya flyin chickens welcome to the forum  

lots of backyard chicken books tell you that you can indeed feed them back there egg shells, it seems a common practice I used to and still ended up with soft shells, so after a word on here I got onto ground oyster shell big improvement.

Nice links Mushroom but I'd disagree with the cannibal bit after seeing a hen with a prolapse in a flock of hens not nice  

[GrannieAnnie]

Feeding your chooks egg shell seems a divided camp, but I've always been told not to, so I don't, put them on the compost heap!!!

[Aunt Sally]

I can't be bothered to bake and crush the empty egg shells.  Much easier to give the chooks oyster  :!:

[muntjac]

feeding eggshells is bad all round ,compost em folks , it is only because the times was hard during the last war that this practice came about .we now have oestra so move em onto that and i gaurantee the soft egg wil correct itself .also feed thema  few more dandelion leaves as this may help with giving them a clean out

[Flyin Chickens]

Thanks for the advice guys.  need to get some food today so will get some oyster shell whilst I am there.

My second question is on its way!!

[muntjac]

so is the wrong answer lmaoo      

[Tensing]

My elderly crested duck occasionally lays eggs without shells, but then she is atleast 9 years old.

[muntjac]

My elderly crested duck occasionally lays eggs without shells, but then she is atleast 9 years old.

with age comes costipation    she can be forgiven