• Question: How does my chicken makes the shells for her eggs?

    Asked by Kate and Peckasso :) to Chris, Josh, Rebecca, Rob, Susan on 22 Jun 2015.
    • Photo: Rebecca Dewey

      Rebecca Dewey answered on 22 Jun 2015:

      During the formation of eggs inside the hen, the outer membrane of the egg protects the albumen and keeps the egg intact. Then slowly (over about 20 hours, small deposits of calcium carbonate will form on this outer membrane and gradually this will form a protective layer around the outside of the egg. This does not fully harden until the hen has laid the egg and the calcium carbonate dries out. During egg laying, hens need to eat a certain amount of calcium in their diet to allow for enough calcium carbonate to make egg shells.

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