Feeding egg shells

[MadChickensVT]

I'm considering feeding my chickens their egg shells. There's usually some egg white/yolk still clinging to the eggs. Do I risk them turning into egg eaters? I've noticed some people bake their shells before feeding, is that to prevent egg eating?

Thanks for any info

 

[Marcymom3]

Yes, I think it is to prevent egg eating.

I keep a container on the counter for eggshells. At the end of the day I microwave them for 30 seconds. This cooks any egg white left in the shell and makes it easier to crush them up. We keep a large pan of oyster shell in their run and I just add the eggshells to that in the morning. My chickens seem to prefer their eggshells to the oyster shell.

 

[AlienChick]

Every morning we cook eggs and throw the shells into a "slop dish" to be taken out with leftover food to the chickens.

I throw it all onto the ground where they gobble everything up fast.

I usually smash the shells with my foot just so the shells do not look like eggs (don't want to give 'em any ideas).

They eat up the bits of shells.

 

[S.L.Swope]

I would like to know this as well and how fine to grind them. I have a few jars the are almost powdered that I use in the veggie beds

 

[JodyJo]

I toss my shells into a plastic bowl, let them sit till they dry, then transfer to a ziplock baggie, I don't bake mine or nuke them...then I just crush them up and feed back...simple

 

[Jay262]

Chickens eating eggs because you feed them shells is a myth. Its actually quite the opposite they often will pick the shells because there craving calcium. I feed my chickens shells all the time and they never pick there eggs.

 

[Marcymom3]

Quote:
It was the baking to cook the raw egg that the OP was questioning. I started microwaving them because that is what I read on here somewhere should be done. I might skip that step if it is not needed. I do agree with what you said about picking eggs because they need calcium.

@SLSwope - I usually break them up with my hands till they're about 1/4 inch, but I had so many after Thanksgiving that I used my food processor (it was already out and had just been used for piecrust.). The food processor broke them up to smaller pieces but I doubt you have to go that small. Mine peck at the shells anyway.

 

[sueche]

I so the same as Alien Chick, goes in chicken scrap bowl and tossed to them. The seem to like it when they are crushed.

 

[SueBaby]

My impression has been that people microwave or bake to dry them out so they're easier to crush. I don't cook mine, they dry naturally and then my son crushes them. No egg eaters here.

 

[trooper]

I feed my egg shells back to my chickens and the only thing I do is crush them up.They chow down on it good and none goes to waste.The shells are smashed but I don't worry how fine they are.It doesn't seem to bother them that the shells aren't broken up.I have never microwaved them,Not saying that that isn't right;just Id do it that way.