Why You Should be Feeding Your Chickens Eggshells
If you’re a chicken keeper or manage your own flock, you’ve likely heard about the importance of calcium in your hens’ diet. A healthy laying hen needs a consistent supply of calcium to ensure strong eggshell production and avoid health issues. One simple method to provide this much-needed nutrient is to feed your chickens crushed eggshells. Not only does this offer an additional calcium source, but it can also save money and reduce waste in your backyard operation. Let’s explore why feeding your chickens eggshells can be one of the best things you can do for their health.
The Importance of Calcium for Chickens
Calcium is the foundation of strong eggshells and proper bone health in chickens. Without enough calcium, your flock is at risk of developing thin-shelled eggs, shell-less eggs, or calcium deficiency. Worse yet, chickens with low calcium levels may suffer from brittle bones, which can lead to significant health issues. Eggshell production requires a lot of calcium—it takes approximately 4 to 5 grams of calcium to form just one eggshell.
Why Feed Crushed Eggshells?
Feeding your chickens crushed eggshells is a natural way to supplement their calcium intake and ensure they’re getting the nutrients they need for healthy egg production. For the average backyard layer chicken, offering extra calcium can have a massive impact on overall egg quality and laying performance.
1. Natural and Inexpensive Calcium Source
Eggshells are made up of about 95% calcium carbonate, which is essential for building strong, healthy eggshells. Instead of buying supplements like oyster shells from the feed store, you can use your hens’ own eggshells to provide a slow-release source of calcium. It’s a cost-effective, natural solution that allows you to recycle resources within your flock.
2. Better for the Environment
By using eggshells instead of discarding them in the trash or compost, you reduce waste and make use of what would otherwise be thrown away. This is especially useful for those trying to run a sustainable homestead. Plus, giving eggshells back to your chickens can reduce your reliance on store-bought calcium supplements, which often come with packaging waste.
3. Improved Eggshell Strength
Providing your chickens with additional calcium can help prevent common issues like thin-shelled eggs, which are prone to breaking. This improves the overall quality of the eggs you collect from your flock. With the right calcium supplement, your chickens can lay eggs with strong shells, reducing the risk of them cracking or breaking during collection or storage.
4. Prevents Health Issues
Laying hens that don’t get enough calcium are at risk of developing calcium deficiency, which can lead to brittle bones and other health issues. Feeding crushed eggshells as a calcium supplement can prevent these problems and promote stronger, healthier birds.
5. A Simple Solution
One of the best things about using eggshells is how easy it is. Instead of buying calcium supplements like oyster shell or relying on complete chicken feed, you can recycle eggshells from your own kitchen to provide a consistent supply of calcium. It’s a simple power method that takes minimal effort and gives great results.
How to Feed Eggshells to Your Chickens
To make sure you’re safely feeding eggshells to your chickens, follow these easy steps:
1. Clean the Eggshells
After you use the eggs, rinse the shells to remove any egg residue, which can harbor harmful bacteria. While we’re collecting eggshells, we keep them in a bowl, but you can also spread them out on a cookie sheet or baking sheet to allow them to dry completely.
2. Bake the Eggshells
To further ensure they are clean and safe for your flock, bake the shells at a high temperature (around 425°F) for 5-10 minutes. This will kill harmful bacteria and make the shells easier to crush.
3. Crush the Shells
Using a rolling pin, food processor, meat tenderizer, or coffee grinder, crush the eggshells into a fine powder or small, unrecognizable pieces. Chickens should not see them as eggs to avoid encouraging egg eaters, which is a big problem.
4. Offer the Eggshells
Place the crushed eggshells in a separate dish or mix them into your chicken layer feed. I find that it’s best to offer them free choice, allowing the chickens to regulate their own calcium intake based on their needs. I put the crushed eggshells in a bowl next to their food for them to eat when needed. I also usually offer some crushed oyster shells in the bowl as well.
Can Chickens Have Too Much Calcium?
While calcium is critical, providing too much calcium can lead to calcium toxicity, which can cause kidney issues in chickens, especially those not in active egg production. Therefore, it’s important to balance calcium sources like oyster shells and crushed eggshells with a complete, balanced diet that includes other nutrients. Laying hens benefit from having access to free choice calcium supplements, so they can consume as much as they need, without risking calcium overdose.
Are Crushed Eggshells Enough?
Feeding crushed eggshells alone may not provide a complete chicken feed solution. You should still provide other calcium supplements like crushed oyster shells to ensure your hens are getting a fast-release source of calcium and consistent calcium intake. It’s important to give them the option to regulate their own calcium intake, so always offer supplements free choice.
Who Should Not Eat Eggshells?
Keep in mind that young chickens and baby chicks don’t need as much calcium as laying hens. Too much calcium can actually cause developmental issues in growing birds. Stick to regular starter feed for chicks and introduce extra calcium like eggshells or oyster shells only when they begin laying eggs.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
While feeding eggshells is beneficial, there are a few things to watch out for:
- Thin shells can indicate a calcium deficiency in your hens, so make sure your flock has access to both crushed eggshells and oyster shells to meet their needs.
- Feeding raw eggshells without cleaning or baking them could encourage chickens to start eating their own eggs. Proper preparation is key.
- Ensure that your hens are also getting enough vitamin D, which helps with calcium absorption and contributes to eggshell development.
Bottom Line
Feeding crushed eggshells to your flock is a good idea that provides supplemental calcium, strengthens eggshells, and prevents calcium deficiency in laying hens. Whether you’re tending to a backyard chicken flock or raising chickens on a larger scale, using eggshells is an eco-friendly, cost-saving strategy to enhance your hens’ egg production and overall health.
So the next time you crack open a fresh egg from your flock, don’t toss those shells! With a little preparation, you can turn them into a slow-release source of calcium that keeps your hens healthy, productive, and laying strong eggs for a really long time.
What questions do you have? Let me know in the comments!
Related Posts:
What do Chickens Eat?
When do Chickens Start Laying Eggs?
What to Feed Chickens When Out of Feed
What You Should Ferment Your Chicken Feed
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