They ate all the calcium! Too much?

[kalsea]

Hey friends!

I recently switched my flock of 22 hens to 20% protein all flock feed and put a half gallon feeder of crushed eggshells on the side. (They were previously on 17% kalmbach layer.) Within a week they had eaten all of the eggshells!

I switched them because their laying has decreased significantly and I didn't want them to overload on calcium. My plan backfired

I'm noticing that some eggs have extra texture but nothing too crazy. Why do you think they gorged themselves on the shells? Novelty? Deficit? What's your experience with supplementing calcium?

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[sourland]

Do they have access to grit, or might they be substituting egg shells for grit?

 

[TooCheep]

Where are you located? Reduced laying is perfectly normal this time of year in northern latitudes with shorter days.

As for the calcium, that sounds like a lot based on my experience with a smaller flock. I generally give oyster shell and then top with some crushed egg shell. You will never have enough egg shell to supplement all-flock feed from just recycling your own eggs. I just make sure that the calcium feeder never runs out and they will regulate their own calcium intake.

Since it has only been a week, I'd keep going and keep an eye on it. Get oyster shell if you haven't already. Things should smooth out.

 

[kalsea]

Do they have access to grit, or might they be substituting egg shells for grit?

Yes- they have plenty of grit and access to 1/4 acre from sun up to sunset!

 

[kalsea]

Where are you located? Reduced laying is perfectly normal this time of year in northern latitudes with shorter days.

As for the calcium, that sounds like a lot based on my experience with a smaller flock. I generally give oyster shell and then top with some crushed egg shell. You will never have enough egg shell to supplement all-flock feed from just recycling your own eggs. I just make sure that the calcium feeder never runs out and they will regulate their own calcium intake.

Since it has only been a week, I'd keep going and keep an eye on it. Get oyster shell if you haven't already. Things should smooth out.

Thanks for that advice! Colorado. Yeah there would be no way to keep up with just shells at this rate. I have oyster shell as well I was just scared to add it to their feeder just in case they had too much calcium in their systems. I'll put it out today and monitor it.

 

[TooCheep]

Sounds like you are on the right track. I recommend you put your general location in your profile. It will make it easier for us to help you on many questions.

 

[K0k0shka]

Maybe they were making up for a deficit. They strongly prefer eggshells to oyster shells, so depending on how stubborn they are about it, sometimes they can even refuse the oyster shells and run up a deficit, because they don't want to eat it, but they will happily eat eggshells.

It is absolutely possible to go on eggshells alone and not risk any deficits, if you buy eggs when production drops or stops in the winter, and you save the shells from the eggs you buy. That's what I do. I've had chickens for years and I've never used oyster shell or layer feed. My hens stop laying completely in the winter so I buy eggs, and save their shells. So I always have a large stash, and the chickens' supply is unlimited. I feed Purina Flock Raiser which is 20% protein and no extra calcium, and the endless supply of eggshells on the side, and they do great.

Laying decreases seasonally, and it also decreases as a hen ages. They are most productive in their first year, then drop somewhat in their second, and past the second year productivity drops a lot more - both in how often they lay during the active season, and when they slow/stop in the fall and start back up in the spring - wrapping up earlier each year, and starting up again later each spring.

 

[kalsea]

Maybe they were making up for a deficit. They strongly prefer eggshells to oyster shells, so depending on how stubborn they are about it, sometimes they can even refuse the oyster shells and run up a deficit, because they don't want to eat it, but they will happily eat eggshells.

It is absolutely possible to go on eggshells alone and not risk any deficits, if you buy eggs when production drops or stops in the winter, and you save the shells from the eggs you buy. That's what I do. I've had chickens for years and I've never used oyster shell or layer feed. My hens stop laying completely in the winter so I buy eggs, and save their shells. So I always have a large stash, and the chickens' supply is unlimited. I feed Purina Flock Raiser which is 20% protein and no extra calcium, and the endless supply of eggshells on the side, and they do great.

Laying decreases seasonally, and it also decreases as a hen ages. They are most productive in their first year, then drop somewhat in their second, and past the second year productivity drops a lot more - both in how often they lay during the active season, and when they slow/stop in the fall and start back up in the spring - wrapping up earlier each year, and starting up again later each spring.

I've been raising chickens for several years and my girls are 4 years old. There's a whole new world to learn about chicken keeping with "senior" hens!

 

[K0k0shka]

I've been raising chickens for several years and my girls are 4 years old. There's a whole new world to learn about chicken keeping with "senior" hens!

Our hens are lucky that they have the opportunity to grow old. I grew up with chickens actually, and took an active part on the farm until college, so my experience goes way back, before my current pet chickens. Back then though, we had food chickens (for eggs and meat) and none of them had the luxury of living past 2 years old... So chicken retirement is new to me, too It's sad watching them lose their spark, but it's also fulfilling to know that we're giving them what chickens throughout history could've only dreamed about.