Mineral feed for chickens: For Hard Eggshells and Strong Bones

Mineral Feed for Chickens – The Foundation for Animal Health

Minerals play an absolutely central role in chicken keeping. Laying hens, in particular, consume enormous amounts of calcium for the daily production of eggshells. If the supply in the normal feed is not sufficient, the hen's body extracts calcium from its own bones. With our high-quality mineral feed for chickens, you ensure that your animals' nutrient depots are always well filled.

The advantages of mineral feed at a glance:

• Hard eggshells: A high calcium content reliably prevents fragile eggs and soft-shelled eggs.
• Healthy bone structure: Prevents the breakdown of bone substance and protects the animals from bone fractures and exhaustion.
• Optimal digestion: Insoluble grit acts like small millstones in the gizzard and helps the chicken to optimally crush the grain feed.
• Compensation for stress: In phases of high stress (molting, growth, heat), mineral feed provides the necessary physical stability.

Oyster Shell Grit and Limestone Flour for the Best Egg Quality

High-quality oyster shell grit or feed-grade limestone flour should not be missing in any chicken coop. Since the calcium requirement of each hen varies individually, it is advisable to offer the shell grit freely available (ad libitum) in a separate bowl. Chickens have an excellent sense of when they need additional minerals and help themselves as needed.

Insoluble Grit – Indispensable for Chicken Digestion

Since chickens have no teeth, they swallow their food whole. In the muscular stomach (gizzard), the feed is then ground up by constant muscle contractions. For this, the animals need small, hard stones (flint grit or insoluble grit), which they normally ingest while scratching in the free range. Especially in winter or when kept purely in an aviary, you absolutely must feed insoluble grit so that the digestive tract functions properly.

FAQs about Mineral Feed for Chickens

Why are my chickens laying soft-shelled eggs?
Soft-shelled eggs (eggs without a hard calcium shell) are almost always a sign of an acute calcium deficiency. By immediately adding limestone flour or oyster shell grit, you can usually solve this problem quickly and effectively.

Can I mix oyster shells and normal feed?
It is better to offer the oyster shell grit in a separate bowl. In this way, each chicken can consume exactly the amount its body currently needs for egg production without selecting the normal feed.

What is the difference between oyster shells and insoluble grit?
Oyster shell grit dissolves in the body and provides the organism with calcium for eggshells and bones (soluble grit). Insoluble grit (like flint or granite grit) does not dissolve, but remains in the gizzard to act as "teeth" to grind the food.