Feeding egg shells

[zzGypsy]

I save them in a cottage cheese container with no lid until it's full, then mash them for 10 seconds with a wooden spoon. goes in with the oyster shell. if I get a cracked egg out of the nest (happens occasionally since they're all trying to lay in the same nest), I just toss it in raw with their crumbles and scratch, mash it about a bit so it's a little blended in.

when they've broken one accidentally in the nest, they'll eat it, but I've had no trouble with losing eggs, they don't go after them on their own.

 

[Nambroth]

I have a stoneware dish that I have sitting on top of my oven, right where my oven 'vents' heat out in the back. I put the egg shells in this, and it heats and dries them and prevents any new* bacteria from taking up residence. After I get quite a few I crush them (just to make eating easier) then feed back to the hens.

If I don't light my oven anytime within reason I will microwave the eggshell batch to dry them, kill any new bacteria, and make them easier to crush.

* I'm not worried about feeding them any bacteria that were on/in the eggs to start with, since the eggs came from the chickens obviously. This is just me being cautious about new unwelcome flora taking up residence in the leftover proteins stuck to the egg, since I leave them sitting out. Same reason why I wouldn't feed my chickens spoiled foods. I don't know, realistically, if it's any danger or not but a few seconds in the microwave once every week doesn't really take much time out of my day, just in case

 

[Beekissed]

Yes...it is a well-traveled myth that feeding them their egg shells when they still resemble, taste and smell like an egg shell will turn them into egg-eaters. No worries...just throw 'em out in the yard and watch the fun!

 

[velittlechik]

I too have always fed my hens their own eggshells and I've done it every way you all have mentioned! Dried in a dish, microwaved and the oven if I happen to use it that day. What I am running into is I run out of eggshells. So I bought a bag of oyster shell for when I don't have any but the shells seem to big to me and the chickens don't seem to eat it like they do their own shells. I tried to crush the oyster shell, but man it is not easy! Has anyone else thought this? I bought oyster shell years ago when I lived in another state and I don't remember it being such big chunks or so hard. Maybe it's the brand?

 

[zzGypsy]

the oyster shell we got in CA looked like it had been flaked directly from the shells. what we get here in MO looks more like white pea gravel. the still seem to eat it, but at first I thought they might be ignoring it. I started putting some cracked corn (one of their favorite treats) on top of the oyster shell each day, did that for a week or so. I never see them eat the oystershell, but it does disapear so they must be eating it on their own now.

I've seen them eat whole large pumpkin seeds much larger than the chunks in the oyster shell, so I'm guessing the size isn't an issue. and they seem to eat from the top of the oyster shell dish down, don't seem to leave the big chunks in the bowl.

 

[johndjones]

have been feeding egg shells back to the little darlings all my life..never baked, microwaved, or even dried them...just mix em with table scraps and they eat it all like candy. Just careful to never put so much they can't eat it pretty quickly. Never have I had much of a problem with chickens eating their own eggs....if one gets broken in the nest they will eat it, and I thank them for that. I tend to think cramped spaces lead to egg pecking. Chickens don't like to hang around where their eggs are, so if they can get away from the nest they won't be tempted. Five minutes after it's laid the little sweeties don't know it from a rock!!! The orphingtons I have now don't like whole corn but do like cracked corn mixed with milo..scratch grain.... but will just about attack me for corn bread!!!! I didn't think they liked oyster shells either but like someone else said the shells do disappear so I guess the chickens are eating them. I just mix it in with the scratch grains which I just throw on the ground each day.jdj

 

[kilby]

I microwave them because that is how you do it for lovebirds and other pets. Main reason being they are full of salmonella. Your chickens will eat anything remember so I would not go by what they like to eat.

I have a question in return. Do you drop salmon oil in their feed for the omega 6 which improves the immune system as well as add to fatty acid content for the winter? thanks

 

[Beekissed]

Main reason being they are full of salmonella.

Now...let me see if I am understanding this point: The chickens who lay the eggs, lay them infected with salmonella...so they cannot then eat them for fear of getting salmonella?

Am I understanding that correctly?

Doesn't that seem a little....er....irrational to you?​

 

[velittlechik]

Quote:
When I had bought it before it was in Arizona and I also thought I remembered it being more flake like and I'm in Oklahoma now. I know what ya mean about them eating other stuff that is large as a pea or so. I guess I'll just keep putting it out there for them. Maybe they just need time to think about it! They don't have a problem with thin shelled eggs, so they're probably just fine.

 

[zzGypsy]

Quote:
When I had bought it before it was in Arizona and I also thought I remembered it being more flake like and I'm in Oklahoma now. I know what ya mean about them eating other stuff that is large as a pea or so. I guess I'll just keep putting it out there for them. Maybe they just need time to think about it! They don't have a problem with thin shelled eggs, so they're probably just fine.

yep, probably fine. I baited mine with the cracked corn mostly so *I'd* know they knew it was there! 'cause you know half the stuff we do for them is really to make us comfortable, not them...