Who recycles egg shells?

[Denninmi]

I just cook mine right away when I use the eggs. I microwave them -- just put them on a microwave safe plate, and nuke them for somewhere between 2 and 4 minutes depending upon quantity and your microwave size/wattage. The little bits of eggwhite and membrane that cling to the shell turn to brown crisp fluff. Then, when cool, I just put into a ziplock and crush. No smell at all after they're cooked. During the cooking process, there is some odor from the microwave, but generally nothing too intolerable.

 

[chickenlady08]

I wash them with soap and water and rinse very well. I remove the membrane from the inside of the shell while they are still soaking and they come out easier. I then let them dry and then they go on my cookie sheet and are ready to go in the oven to 'cook'. I will agree if they sit without being washed they will stink that is why I wash them well and then dry and cook them. I then put them inside of ziploc bags and wait til I have enough to crush and give them to my girls.

 

[SassyKat6181]

Thanks for all the great replies.

Since our oven is electric, I hate to turn it on unless I have a full tray ready. Even with rinsing the shells, by the end of the week, the bucket stinks! I think I will microwave them and then toss them in the bucket until I have enough to crush. Thanks again. The BYC community is great!

 

[arianna]

Quote:
x2

People have been giving crushed egg shells for calcium, without doing anything to them for centuries, they didn't had any oysters shells like we do now. If you raised your own chickens, and you don't feed them all that animal by-products food, then you know your chickens are healthy, so why worry about boiling and cooking the egg shells? They are just fine as they are.

 

[bluere11e]

Quote:
I'm with you, I just zap them in the microwave for a minute or so, put them in a small bowl, and mash the tar out of them and sprinkle the pieces all over the chickens feed. I NEVER give whole shells as I was always told that is how you encourage them to eat their eggs..

 

[gettinaclue]

I recycle all my egg shells. They get rinsed after cracking and then they sit for a day or two to dry out. After they have become nicely brittle, I crush them and scatter them in the run. I've heard of people baking them off, but I don't. I don't see any need to. Chickens eat eggs all the time and never have a problem.

 

[SassyKat6181]

Since my girls have only been laying a few weeks, I am still new to this. I read online to bake them and then mash them.....this is why we have BYC to get actual advice from people doing it. Thanks again for all the great posts!

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

When I crack open an egg, it goes in a bowl I keep on my stove. When it's full, they get smashed and baked into goodies (or added to scrambled eggs) and given back to the chickens. I've never noticed any stink. Maybe my smeller just isn't working!

 

[MSDeb]

After I use an egg I put the shell in a jar next to the sink, once a week or so dh runs the shells in the food processor then stores them in a Folgers canister. He is "saving" them. I just popped over and sniffed his stash and they don't smell much at all, kinda an earthy smell but very faint.

 

[Donner]

The shells get crunched in my hand, so they are not round and tossed in the scraps bucket with all the other vegetables, old bread, and what not to take outside to the garbage disposals each day. No microwave, no baking, no nothing.