The objective of this experiment was to evaluate different feeding schedule and oyster shell supplementation on the performance and eggshell quality, determined blood constituents, and on the calcium and phosphorus apparent availability using 120 laying hens Lohmann LSL, aged 70 weeks, distributed in 20 experimental units with six hens each. A completely randomized experimental design was used in a factorial arrangement 2 x 2: feeding systems (ad libitum and fasting from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and oyster shell meal supplementation (0 and 6.5 g/hen/day), totalizing four treatments with five replicates each. The results showed smaller feed intake with fasting. The characteristics egg production, egg weight, egg mass, feed:gain ratio, shell percent, shell thickness, egg specific gravity and apparent availability of the calcium and phosphorus were not altered by treatments. It was concluded that feeding of hens after 6 p.m. and oyster shell meal supplementation was not advantageous for the performance and eggshell quality of laying hens.
calcium; eggshell quality; feeding schedule; laying hens; nutrition; oyster shell meal; phosphorus
