Feeding egg shells

[Sandstorm495]

I simply crush up the eggs and give it to them straight. I doubt there would be any salmonella, or enough to harm them in their own eggs. They've never had a problem with it, and so I'll continue to give it to them.

 

[Beekissed]

I simply crush up the eggs and give it to them straight. I doubt there would be any salmonella, or enough to harm them in their own eggs. They've never had a problem with it, and so I'll continue to give it to them.

Exactly. If the eggs had salmonella how in the world would it hurt to feed them back to the same hens that laid them, seeing as those hens already have a salmonella infection so bad that it has entered their reproductive system? That's sort of a tautology.

No need to bake, sterilize, crush, pulverize, sanitize, air dry or otherwise alter egg shells to feed them to chickens as it won't make them sick or cause them to develop a taste for eggs...they were already born with a "taste for eggs" and that isn't something they need to learn,it's instinctive.

 

[Sandstorm495]

Agreed. There is no need to make things complicated when they don't need to be. Eggs are eggs, and that's that.

 

[tobit]

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

they aren't "full of salmonella", salmonella is a lot rarer than you seem to think.

 

[ranchodejo]

I thought you could just crush them up and offer it to them.

 

[gilcamp4]

I thought you could just crush them up and offer it to them.

that is what we do I crush them and mix with feed, I have been doing this for 5 years never had chicken eat its eggs, had a snake eat them. lol

 

[mrballance]

that is what we do I crush them and mix with feed, I have been doing this for 5 years never had chicken eat its eggs, had a snake eat them. lol

Me Too, Just crush them fine and mix with feed. No problems and I don't buy oyster shells. My parents didn't do it, So why me., The feed has Calcium

 

[BunnyLover44]

I tried to micowave my eggshells but the chickens didnt like themm so I now just finely crush them. Even if I finely crush the shells do you think the chickens will start eating their eggs? My chicks just started laying so kinda new to this feeding them egg shell thing.

 

[Beekissed]

I tried to micowave my eggshells but the chickens didnt like themm so I now just finely crush them. Even if I finely crush the shells do you think the chickens will start eating their eggs? My chicks just started laying so kinda new to this feeding them egg shell thing.

Nope. You don't even have to crush the shells...just throw them in the coop and let them do the rest.

 

[Bella Blue]

I rinse the egg shells out as I use them.I just take some warm water and a finger or two rub out the lining and any remaining yolk then leave them open side down to drain on a paper towel to dry.I found it easier then trying to remove dry egg later.

I then put them in my mortar and pestle and smash away, sometimes there are bits of white embrane left but it hasnt caused a problem. I tend to not let the egg shells sit more than a day or two and always make sure they are dry. I crush them into pretty small pieces as my father who kept large free range flocks told me he didn't crush his up to small pieces and had to destroy several hens who started egg eating. He also fed scratch feed and they always had oyster shells and grit so I don't know about I being only to get calcium as they had many sources. He had also had the hens for a couple yrs with no problems before with egg eating.

I have found that my birds don't waste so much as a spec of shell ,they think its a treat.they also have crushed oyster shell and a good organic layer feed w calcium available at all times.