Eggshells are a natural source of calcium and can be beneficial to chickens, especially hens that lay eggs. However, feeding eggshells to every chicken is not recommended. Young chickens, chicks, and pullets that have not started laying eggs generally get sufficient calcium from their regular feed and do not need the additional calcium found in eggshells.
Giving chickens too much calcium can cause health problems, particularly in young birds. There are also concerns about bacterial contamination when eggshells are not properly prepared before feeding.
Understanding when eggshells are beneficial, when they should be avoided, and how to prepare them properly can help poultry keepers maintain healthier flocks.
Why Egg Shells Not Good for Chickens?
Egg shells can be good for chickens. But they aren’t good for for young or baby chickens. Chicks are baby chickens! Baby chickens are called chicks.
Feeding egg shells is not good for chicks or baby chickens that haven’t started laying eggs. This is because chickens that aren’t laying eggs don’t need as much calcium. The baby chickens already get more than enough calcium from their feed. Adding egg shells is an extra calcium that their body will have to work harder to process this calcium.
Egg shells powdered can be fed to laying chickens as a source of extra calcium. But they shouldn’t be the only source of calcium. Chickens always need access to shell grit, even if you are giving them grounded egg shells as well.
Eggshells may be contaminated with bacteria, such as Salmonella enteritidis. To avoid the risk of feed poisoning. Natural calcium supplements may contain relatively high amounts of toxic element. The amounts of these toxic elements in eggshells tend to be lower than in other natural calcium sources.
Can Baby Chickens Eat Eggshells?
Baby chickens, commonly called chicks, should not be given eggshells as a regular calcium supplement. Commercial chick starter feed is formulated to provide the nutrients and calcium young chickens need for proper growth and development.
Adding unnecessary calcium to their diet can create nutritional imbalances and may put extra strain on their developing kidneys. It is therefore better to provide chicks with a complete feed designed for their age.
Why Do Laying Hens Need Calcium?
Calcium is an essential mineral for laying hens because it helps form strong eggshells. Hens use significant amounts of calcium during egg production, and insufficient calcium can result in thin, weak, or soft eggshells.
Providing an appropriate calcium source helps support eggshell formation and maintain good laying performance.
How to Prepare Eggshells for Chickens
Eggshells should be properly prepared before being offered to chickens. This helps reduce bacterial contamination and makes them easier for the birds to consume.
Follow these steps:
- Collect clean eggshells and remove any remaining egg contents.
- Rinse the shells to remove dirt and egg residue.
- Heat or bake the shells thoroughly to help reduce bacterial contamination.
- Allow them to cool completely.
- Crush or grind the shells into small, unrecognisable pieces.
- Offer them separately to laying hens rather than mixing large quantities into their regular feed.
Avoid giving chickens large, recognisable pieces of eggshell because this may encourage egg pecking.
What Are the Alternatives to Eggshells for Chickens?
There are other calcium sources that poultry keepers can provide for laying hens. Some common options include:
- Oyster shell: A widely used calcium supplement for laying hens.
- Limestone: A common calcium source used in poultry feed.
- Commercial poultry calcium supplements: Specially formulated products that help meet the calcium requirements of laying birds.
Always choose calcium supplements appropriate for the age and production stage of your chickens.
Source of Calcium Supplement for Chickens
Hens begin laying eggs at around six months of age and can continue for five to 10 years with peak production occurring in the first two years. They will lay roughly six eggs each week.
Egg production drops each year when the hens molt (replace their feathers in the early fall) and as daylight hours are lost. This reason explains that chickens need high volume of calcium especially the ones that lays eggs.
Source of calcium supplement and bone health for chickens is the primary, if not the main benefit of feeding egg shells to chickens. It is a widely known fact that calcium builds another egg shells and keeps chicken bones safe.
So, eggshells in powder form could be consumed as an effective calcium supplement for various bread of chickens. Additionally, the shells are also great sources of magnesium, fluoride and other minerals. Some poultry keepers feed their chickens crushed egg shells.
Chickens need plenty of calcium to produce eggs. And egg shells are rich in calcium. So it makes sense that people would feed egg shells back to their chickens.
Another benefit is feeding egg shells to chickens prevents the shells from going to waste and provides extra source of calcium for your chickens.
Laying eggs chickens need extra calcium for egg shell development. Birds with a calcium deficiency will often lay broken eggs or thin soft shelled eggs. Laying eggs chickens that aren’t getting enough calcium draw calcium out of their bones to produce egg shells, which causes skeletal issues including lameness that may negatively impact on the chicken health.
