Raising backyard chickens is my favorite hobby in the entire world! I realize that’s dramatic, but I’m being serious. Spending time with my girls brings me so much joy. Most people get into backyard chickens for the eggs, and for me that’s just a bonus. However, when talking about the beautiful eggs our girls produce, we should talk about how to support eggshell quality.

What’s an eggshell made of?

According to exploratorium.edu, the eggshell is made up of almost entirely calcium carbonate crystals. It has as many as 17,000 tiny pores! This allows air and moisture to pass in and out of the egg. The chickens also put a very thin layer called the “bloom” on the outside of the shell right before they lay. The bloom allows protection from bacteria and dust. Once the bloom is removed, that layer of protection is gone. That’s why it’s important to refrigerate your eggs if they get wet or you wash them.

How to support eggshell quality

Weak eggshells result in broken eggshells and profit loss among producers. Having good quality eggshells isn’t just for a pretty egg. It will save you money. Weak eggshells also pose a significant food safety risk. Damaged eggshells are more easily contaminated with salmonella bacteria. We have all seen the bad press about salmonella poisoning and backyard chickens. So much of this can be prevented with proper health and nutrition as well as good hygiene practices.

Because eggshells are made mostly of calcium, chickens need quite a bit of calcium to produce healthy eggshells. I always have oyster shells available for the girls to supplement as they need. But I also give them Chicken E-lixir™.

Chicken E-lixir keeps my chickens healthy by supporting their immune systems, digestive health and eggshell quality. It contains a unique blend of organic oregano essential oil, prebiotics, calcium, vitamins D & E and electrolytes.

The benefits of Chicken E-lixir:

• Hydrates and helps build strong chickens

• Helps support eggshell quality

• Supports immunity

• Promotes digestive health

I add Chicken E-lixir to my girls’ water daily. They love the taste and I know I’m giving them beneficial support to their cute little fluffy systems.

Strong Animals also has a treat called Golden Graze™ which really focuses on the health of the egg.

Golden Graze is a daily snack with Omega-3 fatty acids that promotes quality eggs with golden yolks. It contains oregano essential oils, multi-grains, cracked corn, oyster shells, marigold petals and flaxseed.

Golden Graze contains:

• Oyster shells to support egg quality

• Marigold petals for golden yolks

• Flaxseed for Omega-3 fatty acids

That’s what I love about this company! They care about the health of your flock even to the point of making sure they have everything they need to lay high-quality eggs. They really have taken the guesswork out of using essential oils and other ingredients I want to use in my flock.

My girls have been raised on these products and I don’t let myself run out. Next week, I’m going to tell you how Flock Fixer literally saved one of my chicken’s lives…not once, but twice!

Until Next Time,

–The Wing Lady