Why process egg/oyster shells before feeding back to chickens?

[amiachicknorwat]

Chickens were around for eons (millions of years) before we started keeping them, eating them and their eggs. Wasn't it natural then and so too now for chickens to eat their shells after hatching chicks without processing with heat or rinsing, given no opposable thumbs? I believe they know when they need a calcium source, instinctually, and why not recycle it in its predigested or easily digestible form in eggshells?

I too was wary of feeding chickens back their own shells, so I got oyster shells from Eggcetera, our local feed store. They look processed too, but that's understandable. But they're also much harder and feel I should crush them first so they're more assimilable, but that should be for another thread, eh? All my actions here were taken from suggestions from others, because I'm new to this bird bizz.

 

[GitaBooks]

That is a good question.

I grind and rinse my eggs so they don't associate the shape or flavor with eggs, or they become egg eaters (mine already are unfortunately).

Also, if chicks have hatched from the eggs, then they often have a lot of bacteria on them that can be dangerous for the mother. My hens don't like eating shells that have had chicks in them, at least from what I have seen.


I hope this helps.

 

[MeepBeep]

As said above the reason people process the shells is so that they don't find they like them, know they are eggs and become egg eaters...

If I bother to recycle the shells, I grind them up in the food processor and bake them for a bit... This only happens when I'm recycling a bunch of extra excess eggs back to the chickens for a protein boost, beyond that for the $9 the local feed store sells 50lbs of crushed oyster shells it's not worth my effort or time to recycle the shells...

 

[KendyF]

As said above the reason people process the shells is so that they don't find they like them, know they are eggs and become egg eaters...

If I bother to recycle the shells, I grind them up in the food processor and bake them for a bit... This only happens when I'm recycling a bunch of extra excess eggs back to the chickens for a protein boost, beyond that for the $9 the local feed store sells 50lbs of crushed oyster shells it's not worth my effort or time to recycle the shells...

I just toss mine back outside... If I was hatching eggs from a different source, I wouldn't feed the shells, for some weird, unrealistic thought of spreading disease or something.

I also have fed every dog I have ever owned chicken bones. I know there is like a 1 in a million chance they can choke... I doubt it.

 

[GitaBooks]

I just toss mine back outside... If I was hatching eggs from a different source, I wouldn't feed the shells, for some weird, unrealistic thought of spreading disease or something.

I also have fed every dog I have ever owned chicken bones. I know there is like a 1 in a million chance they can choke... I doubt it.

I agree with what you are saying, but thought I would add:

Diseases can easily be spread through shells, especially those from other sources, which is why eggs being imported must be tested.

I heard that dogs don't choke on cooked chicken bones, but that they splinter inside of them and cut their insides. I'm not sure if raw bones would do that or not.

 

[KendyF]

I agree with what you are saying, but thought I would add:

Diseases can easily be spread through shells, especially those from other sources, which is why eggs being imported must be tested.

I heard that dogs don't choke on cooked chicken bones, but that they splinter inside of them and cut their insides. I'm not sure if raw bones would do that or not.

I agree. I would feed "not mine" shells", but if you think about it.... Wouldn't the chick have whatever the egg has??? lol, not being argumentative just laughing at humans.

 

[GitaBooks]

I agree. I would feed "not mine" shells", but if you think about it.... Wouldn't the chick have whatever the egg has??? lol, not being argumentative just laughing at humans.

That's true. Lol.

I guess its just better that the hens don't eat the bacteria.

 

[amiachicknorwat]

Wow! At first I thought hens eating their eggshells didn't necessarily lead to them eating their eggs. But since they know they're not fertile, why not. If a source of calcium is needed why not take what's at hand, so to speak. I've never fed chickens eggshells in all my weeks of tending. Now I'll only if I find a serious lack, cuz there's other ways to skin that cat. I do believe we humans, particularly in North America, are far and away too sterile minded, with our anti-bacterial this'n thats. We have microbes of myriad sorts all around us, all thru us and even composing us (i hear outnumbering our own cells in our makeup), so we must make peace, striking a harmonious balance. But for chickens who peck at the ground and the likes of dogs'n cats face down on all fours they know better that it's for their immediate survival.

When we moved into this house the chicken coop was unbelievably filthy. Caked layers of poop we had to scrape off, from the floor, perches and even roosts. We gave it a deep, however superficial cleaning, stopping short of using hydrated lime or such. I've applied DE and given them a good outdoor run. I do scrape their poop where I find it, when I can, also cuz it makes for a great compost accelerator. Plus I've seen a 200 plus chicken operation also with a filthy seldom if ever cleaned coop. Still I see why to rinse dry and crush them before feeding them back -- makes sense. Thanks Much, Nick

 

[MeepBeep]

But since they know they're not fertile

Chickens don't have the slightest clue if an egg is fertile or not or even when they are due to hatch...

I have some very protective and moody broody birds right now sitting on hollow plastic Easter Eggs thinking they are going to hatch a family, they are clueless but fully content...

 

[Devish]

I mostly have ducks, only one chicken currently. I give them all oyster shells and baked/crushed egg shells from the eggs they lay after I cook a batch of something with them. I've tried giving egg shells uncooked and not dried, uncooked and dried, and toasted. They LOVE the toasted egg shells, and also prefer uncooked/dried over the oyster shell. Uncooked and not dried seems to be about equal preference. I don't know about the risks of giving it to them without any "processing", but I now know what my birds prefer, so that's what I give them. If you have a toaster oven, just throw the shells in on a low bake for a few minutes. It also makes them far easier to crush down to a size more easily consumed for the birds. The egg shells themselves are not enough to supplement on their own though, it seems. I still offer oyster shell as well (and occasionally find a good amount of them in the bottom of the pool :/ ).