Anyone feed the egg shells their chickens lay back to them?

[SwampFlock]

https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2013/10/diy-flock-block.html

Oooh homemade flock blocks, what else do you put in it?

Here is the recipe i use (not my blog). I am experimenting with different amounts or types of oil because the blocks come out a little crumbly. Everything else is exactly the same!

 

[AccidentalFarm]

Really!? Doesn't that encourage egg eating from the nest??

Not in my experience. I've never had nest egg-eaters in over 15 years. I've always thrown a few eggs back to the birds when I gather them. If an egg bounces instead of breaks, the birds don't pay any attention to it. If it cracks open, they tackle it.

 

[Jajika]

Crush them up thoroughly, so like others have said, they don't get the idea it's ok to eat their own eggs. It's good calcium, just make sure it's thoroughly fine.

 

[NatJ]

I've always fed eggshells back to the chickens, no baking or drying or grinding.
If it sits there looking like an egg, I step on it to break it up a bit, but nothing more.

 

[Aunt Tat]

Not sure if my question makes sense - I feel it’s wrong to feed the chickens the egg shells of their own eggs they lay or is it ok to give them that extra nutritious dose of calcium?

Even if it comes from their own eggs that they lay. For some reason (morally) feels wrong to give them something that came from them I guess it’s ok since I’ve given them grocery store egg shells before they started laying as an added snack bonus. Curious to hear what more experienced folk think have on the topic

You should have seen me the first time I saw parrots eating fried chicken!

 

[kubotafoot]

I leave them in a container on the counter to dry off and them pulverize them in my magic bullet with their feed, ass water to make a mush and add any pulverized veggie or fruit scraps. I find the shells are smaller with the bullet DRY and then add the moist to it. Just easier for me that way and then they pour right out of the bullet dry and I then do the moist part separately. If I do moist shells, they cling to the sides of the bullet and I have a difficult time removing them. The birds love the mush and it gives them a different type of feeding.

 

[Cheery]

Not sure if my question makes sense - I feel it’s wrong to feed the chickens the egg shells of their own eggs they lay or is it ok to give them that extra nutritious dose of calcium?

Even if it comes from their own eggs that they lay. For some reason (morally) feels wrong to give them something that came from them I guess it’s ok since I’ve given them grocery store egg shells before they started laying as an added snack bonus. Curious to hear what more experienced folk think have on the topic

Yes definitely! I save all the egg shells in a paper bag so they dry out completely. Then we crush them and give them to my girls.
indeed when. Have too many eggs or discover a set of dubious eggs, I put them whole into the blender and make scrambled eggs & shell for the girls. I never cease to be amazed by how much pure calcium they put out every single day they lay an egg. They need huge quantities in return.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Not sure if my question makes sense - I feel it’s wrong to feed the chickens the egg shells of their own eggs they lay or is it ok to give them that extra nutritious dose of calcium?

Even if it comes from their own eggs that they lay. For some reason (morally) feels wrong to give them something that came from them I guess it’s ok since I’ve given them grocery store egg shells before they started laying as an added snack bonus. Curious to hear what more experienced folk think have on the topic

I save all my shells and crush them and feed them back. I sometimes boil eggs and crush a boiled egg, with the shell, and give to them. Been doing it for years.

 

[NickyPick]

Absolutely. We put all our eggshells in a tub in the fridge, and when it's full, toss it out to the hens with any other kitchen scraps we have. Real food is always good for them

 

[Shahnaz13]

We feed them their own shells and from store bought eggs - but bake all of them and crush them very finely.