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

[Martha Eaves]

Not sure if my question makes sense - I feel it’s wrong to feed the chickens the eggshells 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 eggshells before they started laying as an added snack bonus. Curious to hear what more experienced folk think have on the topic

I have always done this. I hold them until I have enough to fill my NewWave and toast them for 45 min. and grind them to powder then put them in their feed. I used to put them back eaw but found some of my chickens started breaking and eating their eggs. Not sure but was told that if they get the taste and learn where it is from they will. The method I use was handed down by my grandmother.

 

[TOPChickens14]

I think this method works great I used to do it but now justt feed oyster shell.

 

[WallyG74]

Yep. All we do is let them dry and crush with a tater masher. They love it!

 

[TOPChickens14]

Yep. All we do is let them dry and crush with a tater masher. They love it!

Ditto

 

[Cluckminster Fuller]

Always feed them the crushed shells. They love them and it's really just recycling. Chickens also LOVE chicken bones, so they get carcasses from me. Who am I to judge? (But I rarely would feed them chicken meat, so I do have a limit)

 

[PrimroseMom1]

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

Yep. Between the chickens and the dogs I have very little to compost. If the chickens won’t eat the leftovers, the dogs will.