The Benefits of Feeding Eggshells to Chickens: A Natural Calcium

Feeding eggshells to your chickens is a simple yet highly effective practice that can significantly benefit your flock. When you provide them with a natural calcium source, you improve the quality of their eggshells as well as support their overall health. Providing a balanced diet and monitoring your flock’s health will help you reap the full benefits of this cost effective practice. Happy chicken keeping!🐔

Why Feeding Eggshells to Chickens is Beneficial

Eggshells are primarily composed of calcium carbonate, making them an excellent source of calcium for your hens. Chickens require a significant amount of calcium to produce strong eggshells. If their diet lacks sufficient calcium, they may lay eggs with thin, fragile shells or even suffer from health issues like osteoporosis. By feeding them crushed eggshells, you provide a natural, readily available calcium supplement.

Eggshells are a rich source of calcium. The calcium content in eggshells is quite significant, and it typically comprises about 94-97% calcium carbonate (CaCO3) by weight. This translates to approximately:

• 2.0 to 2.5 grams of calcium per eggshell (depending on the size and thickness of the eggshell).

This makes eggshells an excellent natural source of calcium for chickens!

Why is Calcium Essential for Strong Eggshells and Overall Hen Health?

1. Eggshell Formation:

• Structural Integrity: Calcium is the primary component of eggshells, providing the necessary strength and rigidity to protect the developing embryo.
• Preventing Defects: Adequate calcium levels prevent eggshell defects such as thin shells, cracks, and deformities, which can lead to egg breakage and potential loss.

2. Bone Health:

• Bone Density: Calcium is vital for maintaining bone density and strength in hens. A deficiency can lead to weakened bones, increasing the risk of fractures and conditions like osteoporosis.
• Calcium Reservoir: Hens use the calcium stored in their bones to form eggshells, making dietary calcium crucial to replenish this supply and maintain skeletal health.

3. Metabolic Functions:

• Muscle Function: Calcium is essential for proper muscle contractions, including those necessary for egg laying.
• Nervous System: It plays a role in nerve impulse transmission, contributing to overall nervous system health.

4. Reproductive Health:

• Egg Production: Adequate calcium levels support consistent and healthy egg production, ensuring that hens can lay eggs regularly without depleting their calcium reserves.
• Hormonal Balance: Calcium influences the hormonal balance in hens, which is essential for reproductive functions.

Ensuring Adequate Calcium Intake:

To maintain optimal calcium levels, it is important to provide hens with a balanced diet that includes calcium-rich sources such as:

• Ground eggshells: A natural and readily available source of calcium.
• Oyster shells: Often provided as a supplement in poultry feed.
• Calcium-fortified feed: Commercial poultry feeds typically contain added calcium to meet the nutritional needs of laying hens.

By ensuring hens receive sufficient calcium, you can promote stronger eggshells, better bone health, and overall improved well-being, leading to more productive and healthier hens.🐔🥚

How to Prepare Eggshells for Chickens to Eat

Preparing eggshells for chickens to eat is a simple process that involves cleaning, drying, and crushing the shells to make them safe for your hens. I save all of my fresh vegetable scraps and blend them up in the food processor with the egg shells.

Step-by-Step Preparation:

1. Collect Eggshells:
   • Gather the eggshells from the eggs you use in your kitchen. Save them in a clean container.
2. Clean the Eggshells:
   • Rinse: Thoroughly rinse the eggshells under cool running water to remove any remaining egg whites or yolk. This helps prevent bacterial growth.
   • Optional Soak: For added cleanliness, you can soak the shells in a mixture of water and vinegar for a few minutes before rinsing again.
3. Dry the Eggshells:
   • Air Dry: Place the cleaned eggshells on a baking sheet or a clean towel and let them air dry completely. This can take several hours to overnight.
   • Oven Dry: To speed up the process and ensure thorough drying, you can bake the eggshells. Preheat your oven to 250°F (120°C) and bake the eggshells for about 10-15 minutes. This also helps kill any remaining bacteria.
4. Crush the Eggshells:
   • Manual Crushing: Once the eggshells are dry, crush them into small pieces using your hands, a rolling pin, or a mortar and pestle.
   • Grinding: For a finer consistency, you can grind the dried eggshells using a blender, food processor, or coffee grinder until they are a fine powder.

Feeding the Eggshells to Chickens:

• Free Choice: Place a small container of crushed eggshells in the chicken coop or run, allowing the chickens to consume them as needed. Chickens will instinctively eat the eggshells when they need extra calcium.
• Mix with Feed: You can also mix the crushed eggshells directly into your chickens’ regular feed. Use about 1-2% of the total feed weight as a guideline.

Tips:

• Monitor Consumption: Keep an eye on how much eggshell your chickens are consuming. If they seem to be eating a lot, it may indicate a calcium deficiency in their diet.
• Avoid Overfeeding: While calcium is important, too much can lead to health issues. Ensure that the primary diet is balanced and nutritionally complete. (source)

Addressing Common Concerns of Feeding Eggshells to Chickens

Feeding eggshells to chickens is a common practice, but it can raise several concerns among poultry keepers. Here are some of the common concerns and how to address them:

1. Bacterial Contamination:

Concern: Raw eggshells may harbor bacteria such as Salmonella, which could harm the chickens. Solution: Thoroughly clean and dry the eggshells before feeding. Baking the shells at 250°F (120°C) for 10-15 minutes will kill any harmful bacteria, making them safe for consumption.

2. Encouraging Egg-Eating:

Concern: Feeding eggshells might encourage chickens to start eating their own eggs. Solution: Crush the eggshells into very small pieces or grind them into a powder. This way, the chickens will not associate the crushed shells with whole eggs.

3. Calcium Overdose:

Concern: Providing too much calcium could lead to health issues such as kidney damage or reduced absorption of other essential nutrients. Solution: Offer eggshells as a free-choice supplement rather than mixing large quantities into the feed. Chickens will naturally consume the amount of calcium they need.

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