It is impossible to imagine a complete, balanced, well-formed diet of poultry without various additives. In addition to vitamins, proteins, fats and carbohydrates, chickens necessarily need minerals. Especially such nutritional support is needed for laying hens, which lose a significant part of the important elements during egg production. You can buy ready-made mineral additives or interfere with their own, knowing the right balance of substances. In order to benefit from laying hens, it is necessary to know some rules for their use.
Why do we need mineral supplements for laying hens?
In conditions of intensive use of the productivity of birds, as well as due to the breeding of highly productive rocks, the need of laying hens for minerals increases significantly. 
Micro- and macronutrients perform a number of important functions in the body:
- responsible for the formation and proper development of the musculoskeletal system;
- participate in the formation of down and feathers;
- regulate the work of glands, internal organs;
- regulate metabolic processes;
- accelerate growth and gaining muscle mass;
- provide good immunity and state of health of a bird.
Important! When using mineral supplements, total feed costs are reduced.
With an insufficient amount of minerals, the chicken's body begins to deplete. First, the productivity indicators deteriorate, then the health of the feathered inevitably deteriorates. In general, the lack of mineral elements shortens the period of productivity of the chicken, its lifespan and, as a result, lowers the effectiveness of their content. 
Therefore, in order for chickens to have good health and high productivity, it is necessary to think about the introduction of mineral supplements in their diet.
The role of micro and macronutrients
All minerals are divided into trace elements (measured in milligrams, mg) and macronutrients (measured in grams, g).
Did you know? When forming one egg in a hen, about 2 g of calcium is consumed.
Consider the role of these substances in the life of the layers:
- Calcium. The deficiency of this element is especially dangerous for the health of the hens. Calcium is consumed in large quantities when eggs are worn. If the element is not enough in the body, it begins to be removed from the bone tissue of the feathered, with the ribs, thoracic and femur bones being more affected. With a prolonged deficiency of the element, osteoporosis, acidosis, tetany develop. From foodstuffs, green leaves of plants are excellent sources of calcium. In nature, calcium is found in limestone and coquina.
- Phosphorus. It is in second place in importance, although it has the necessary effect along with calcium, ensuring normal phosphorus-calcium metabolism. It is phosphorus that is responsible for the absorption of calcium by the body. With its deficiency in chickens, productivity decreases, the shell becomes thinner, and the hatchability of chickens decreases.
- Sodium and chlorine. Sodium deficiency is manifested in poor growth of young animals, decrease in productivity, weight of eggs, in rare cases cannibalism is possible. Chlorine deficiency can also be suspected due to growth disorders, spasms and paralysis may occur.
- Magnesium. This element is also important for the development and functioning of the skeletal system, because when it is deficient, the musculoskeletal system initially suffers, growth in young animals is also delayed, appetite decreases,
- Potassium. Very important for young chickens. Potassium regulates intracellular processes.
Varieties
Usually on small farms such common types of mineral additives are used:
- Salt. Covers the need of hens for sodium and chlorine. In the diet of chickens the optimum content is 0.2-0.4% of salt. If the amount of salt reaches 0.7%, poisoning occurs, and if the amount of 1% is exceeded, chickens may die. That is why when buying ready-made supplements with table salt, you need to choose those intended for chickens, in which the dosage is correctly calculated.
- Cockleshell. Provides a feathered well digestible calcium. The content in the diet should not exceed 6-9% for adults.
- Limestone. It is a source of calcium, iron, and trace elements: manganese, zinc, magnesium, copper. 3-4% of the poultry diet should be allocated to the shell rock.
- Eggshell. Also replenishes the body of feathered calcium. Before feeding, the shell is boiled and ground. If you give this supplement too often, chickens may start pecking their own eggs.
- Wood flour. Natural complex mineral supplement. Contains a complete set of micro and macro elements: calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium, phosphorus. One adult requires up to 10 g of ash per day.
- Feed chalk. Another source of calcium. Its amount in the diet should vary in the range of 0.5-3%.
- Meat bone / fish meal. Can be added to the diet as sources of calcium and phosphorus.
How to make mineral supplements for laying hens with your own hands
A complete feed with mineral ingredients can be prepared by yourself. To do this, you have to work hard, because you need to accurately measure the number of all components.
Familiarize yourself with the best breeds of laying hens, with features of breeding and keeping of laying hens, and also find out if the laying hens need a rooster.
Recipe number 1:
- 450 grams of corn;
- 120 grams of wheat;
- 70 grams of barley;
- 70 g of sunflower meal;
- 20 g of peas;
- 60 g of meat and bone meal;
- 3 g of salt;
- 50 g of crushed greens.
You can also add vitamin complexes for layers (10-15 g). 
To obtain a finished additive, all components must be thoroughly mixed.
Did you know? All shades of white and brown are considered to be the usual color of chicken eggshell. But there is one breed, the shell of which is colored in blue, green and turquoise. The hens of the Araukan breed carry such unusual eggs due to the presence of biliverdin pigment in the body.
Recipe number 2:
- 550 g of wheat;
- 150 grams of barley;
- 100 g of cake from sunflower seeds;
- 50 g of wheat bran;
- 3 tbsp. l sunflower oil;
- 50 g of shell rock;
- 7 g of meat and bone meal;
- 3 g of salt.
The grain is ground in a crusher, the coquina is also crushed. Next, all the ingredients are mixed, the last is added oil. If there is a need to slightly feed the feed, water is added. 
Purchased premixes
If there is no desire or opportunity to spend time on self-preparation of additives, you can always find ready-made store mixes.
Important! All premixes are added to self-made feed. If you use a combined feed, there is no need to add premixes.
When choosing premixes, pay attention to the following manufacturers:
- "Ryabushka". Vitamin and mineral premix will fill the need of hens for basic micro- and macroelements. It is added to the feed (ratio 1:99). It is especially useful to use this additive in the period of molting of birds.
- "Felutsen" (for chickens). In addition to micro-and macronutrients, the additive contains vitamin substances, carbohydrates, amino acids. For laying hens, 7 g per adult is sufficient per day.
- "Sun". Premix provides feathered with cobalt, selenium, iron, copper, manganese, as well as a number of vitamins. The amount of premix in the feed should be 0.5%. You can give chicks from a week old. This tool is designed specifically for young.
- Zdraur Layer. Contains 6 mineral elements, a number of vitamins and amino acids. The additive is mixed with feed and given daily at the rate of 1 g per adult.
- Mixxit (for layers). Another effective vitamin-mineral supplement.
It will be useful for you to learn how to increase egg production in chickens in winter, what vitamins chickens need for laying eggs.
As a result of the application, egg production, shell quality and hatchability of eggs are increased. - "Miavit". Mixed with feed in the amount of 0.25% of the total mass. In addition to vitamins, the composition contains the following elements: iron, magnesium, iodine, zinc and copper. This supplement is great for the diet of chickens.
How to enter into the diet
To get a positive result, you need to correctly use mineral supplements. If you do not follow the rules of introducing minerals into the diet, then at best you can not notice positive changes, at worst, you can significantly harm the health of the bird.
Not only deficiency, but also an overabundance of mineral substances has negative consequences.
Follow these guidelines:
- When using premixes, they should be thoroughly mixed with the main feed for even distribution.
- You can not add premix to a hot meal. This destroys most of the nutrients.
- When buying ready-made additives for layers, be sure to have the inscription "For egg breeds". The same applies to age categories.
- Use premix regularly.
- If you use salt, its amount should be reduced to 0.5% if greens are present in the diet of the klush.
- When you add meat and bone meal or fish meal to the main feed, you also need to lower the amount of mineral supplements with calcium and phosphorus.
Mineral supplements and premixes are a mandatory addition to the main ration of birds if their main diet consists of home-made feed. With regular use of mineral supplements can achieve the best indicators of productivity, as well as the characteristics of egg products.
However, remember that the amount of additives in the diet must be strictly controlled, because an excess of mineral substances is no less dangerous than their deficiency.
