Feeding egg shells

[funkyfrugalmom]

I never fed my girls shells until one day I had them free ranging in the yard and they spotted them in my garden. They began eating them so I gave it a go and mine love them now. Love the full circle of production and no waste its amazing to see. I also crush mine to make it easier to eat.

 

[Frindizzle]

We used to have many eggs eaten (about 5 sometimes) but then we gave them egg shells- not baked- and we rarely get a cracked egg. Hope this helps!

 

[Frindizzle]

We used to have many eggs eaten (about 5 sometimes) but then we gave them egg shells- not baked- and we rarely get a cracked egg. Hope this helps!

I will give it a try though, baking them

 

[David1998]

Any concerns with them getting to much calcium from the layer feed and the egg shells? I assume they would naturally limit the amount of shells they eat to make the total come out okay.

 

[hosspak]

Any concerns with them getting to much calcium from the layer feed and the egg shells? I assume they would naturally limit the amount of shells they eat to make the total come out okay.

Dave, they will only eat what they need and make sure the shells are offered free choice. I mix mine with oyster shell and grind them up a little. Their egg shells come nice and strong.

 

[mrballance]

I Crush them into fine pieces and mix with feed. No bake or microwave, Just rinse and crush. Much better than Oyster shell. The feed has calcium in it. They free range half the day, After I get home from work.

 

[PetMomSuzanne]

Have to ask -- what is the point of cooking the eggshells? I know I normally throw the used shells in the compost (aka chicken feeding station) and the chickens just gobble them down before looking at anything else.

On the other hand, I have one hen that is laying very thin-shelled eggs, and one of the others that waits for her to lay it, then scoffs it down, shell and all. Isn't that cannibalism?

 

[Beekissed]

Have to ask -- what is the point of cooking the eggshells? I know I normally throw the used shells in the compost (aka chicken feeding station) and the chickens just gobble them down before looking at anything else.

On the other hand, I have one hen that is laying very thin-shelled eggs, and one of the others that waits for her to lay it, then scoffs it down, shell and all. Isn't that cannibalism?

Nope...that's normal and natural for chickens to clean up the nests and chickens are opportunistic omnivores, so eggs are definitely on the menu. Broody hens will often eat eggs wherein the chicks are not developing or any that have gotten cracked as well....all designed to keep from drawing predators to the nest site and for nest hygiene.

Folks bake those shells in some odd attempt to disguise the taste of the shell so that chickens won't be attracted to a natural shell and I've even heard folks say they are doing that to "clean" the shells. Both reasons make absolutely no sense to me as chickens will not start eating all the eggs in the coop simply because they eat natural shells....trust me, at one time or another or even many times, each chicken will get a taste of natural shell and not be turned into a cannibal.

 

[carlf]

I bake my shells for two reasons:

1. They sit on the counter top in a container for at least a week until I have a bunch, so I sterilize them just in case.
2. they are easier to crush right after baking.

I bake mine on a cookie sheet, usually at around 350* for about 10 minutes, usually after I get done baking something else. I mix them in with scratch grains about 2-3 times a week and scatter in the run.

 

[moomysooer]

I'm wondering if the eggshells need to be washed before crushing and saving?