Feeding egg shells to laying hens?

[buc]

I read about the practice of feeding egg shells back to the chickens that layed them as a way of returning the calcium to thier bodies.

Does anyone else here do that?

 

[joanm]

I did. I dried them in the microwave first and then finely crushed them.

 

[LynnGrigg]

Yep, lots of us. Some recommend heating to "clean"(sterilize) them and crushing them. We also chop up boiled eggs for them if we get too many. The shells give them extra calcium to help them develop stronger egg shells. Make sure you crush them up. Never feed whole or seemingly whole. You don't want your chickens to turn into egg-eaters (breaking and eating the eggs laid in your nesting areas. That's a nasty habit and one that is hard to break.

 

[buc]

Ok, thanks.

I have a group of shells that were going into the garden, instead I will dry them, crush them and feed them back to the hens and see how they eat them.

 

[Barnyard Dawg]

I don't practice this, just my personal preference.

 

[Jsto]

I've starting doing it as well and my girls much prefer the egg shells to the oyster grit.

I just pop the whole peices into the oven for a bit, let them cool, stick them in a plastic bag and take the dough roller to it. I figure it's a lovely way to recycle. They made these lovely little calcium-packed shells and it seems a shame to throw them away

 

[blue90292]

i don't do anything with mine. i just crush it and give it to them. i figure they eat dirt so if there's dirt or poo on there, it's nothing different from what they normally eat and since i ate the egg, if it's contaminated in some way, i'm going to be sick first.

 

[bigzio]

Yep, we dry ours, crush to smaller pieces and add to the oyster shells. Mine prefer them over oyster shells. It makes things go full circle. No need to waste egg shells that are almost 100% calcium....Just makes good sence.

bigzio

 

[rooster-red]

Quote:
If you leave the egg shells wet you are inviting somenella poisioning of your chickens.

 

[theOEGBman]

Quote:
If you leave the egg shells wet you are inviting somenella poisioning of your chickens.

Yeah, but they eat their own eggs, so what the heck,lol.

I boil my eggs and just crush the whole thing up, egg and shell.