I’ve heard that you can substitute egg shells for oyster shells. Is this true?

[Skyleen13]

My chickens aren’t old enough yet to start laying eggs but I’ve read that you can supplement their calcium with egg shells instead of oyster shells. Is this true? If it’s true how to I store, & prepare them for my gals to eat? Do I need to cook or bake the shells before I give them to my chicken

 

[chrissynemetz]

You can bake them, or just crumble them up and toss them to your chickens. I do both.

 

[Rainwing]

Yes, you just crumble them up for the hens. It might look like they don't eat them at first but when my gals are pecking around out of boredom they eat a lot of eggshell pieces, it's just hard to notice.

 

[diamondsilkies]

I've done this for a few years now and it's seemed to work fine. Never had any issues with calcium deficiencies. I just keep a plastic container by my sink, the kind that salad mixes come in. Whenever I use an egg, I give the shell quick rinse off in the sink, shake off the excess water, and toss it in. When the tub gets full, I use the bottom of a yogurt container to crush them up. I only ever give them their own eggs; I throw out any store-bought eggshells if I have them. Probably wouldn't hurt them, but I figure better safe than sorry.

 

[Skyleen13]

I've done this for a few years now and it's seemed to work fine. Never had any issues with calcium deficiencies. I just keep a plastic container by my sink, the kind that salad mixes come in. Whenever I use an egg, I give the shell quick rinse off in the sink, shake off the excess water, and toss it in. When the tub gets full, I use the bottom of a yogurt container to crush them up. I only ever give them their own eggs; I throw out any store-bought eggshells if I have them. Probably wouldn't hurt them, but I figure better safe than sorry.

Thank you!

 

[Skyleen13]

Yes, you just crumble them up for the hens. It might look like they don't eat them at first but when my gals are pecking around out of boredom they eat a lot of eggshell pieces, it's just hard to notice.

Thank you!

 

[Skyleen13]

You can bake them, or just crumble them up and toss them to your chickens. I do both.

Thank you!

 

[neo71665]

Yep just make sure you bake em first. Lay them out on a cookie sheet and bake at 200 or so for about 20 mins or so.

All our egg shells go back to the hens.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Okay lone one out here buy oyster 50 lbs at time best price have lots of birds
three coops

 

[texsuze]

I, too, have that 50# bag of crushed oyster shells, but I also use my girls' eggshells and zap them in the microwave for about a minute, maybe longer. Once I have several, I grind them up with a mortar and pestle (wish I had a mini blender.....). I put the oyster shell and the ground eggshells in a little ceramic dish, one for each run. My girls have this available, free-choice, since I feed a Flock Raiser feed.