Egg shells...how small do I crumble/crush them?

[Sleepy71]

Egg shells...how small do I crumble/crush them? Then, do I mix them in with the food, or as a side dish?

 

[aoxa]

Microwave them for 30 seconds and they dry up and are easier to crumble. No need to wash or set. Just crumble them and throw them on the ground. Mine eat them up really fast.

 

[CheekyMare]

When I did it I dried them in the oven then threw them in a blender. Worked great.

 

[SueBaby]

There's another thread about feeding eggshells right now. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=595690

It's interesting to read the various things people do. Some that posted said the don't dry or crush, they just smash them in their hand and toss to their girls. Some mix with food, some keep it as a separate free choice item. Personally, ours get smashed as much as my 10 year old son wants. I would say they are often the size of a grain of rice or 2, sometimes a bit larger or smaller. I feed separately, but you really will find so much variation if you read through the above thread.

Good luck!

 

[BellevueOmlet]

I throw mine in the blender for a few seconds. My chickens have 4 different color eggs so it makes a very pretty egg shell meal

 

[Pele]

Yes it is interesting what everyone does! I let mine dry on the counter, then throw them in the microwave. Once they're done nuking, it's into the mortar and pestle they go. A quick grind down to large rice size, then I dump it on the yard, and watch the frenzy.

 

[AlienChick]

When we make b'fast in the morning, we have a "slop tray" that we throw all the foodstuffs in for the chickens, including the egg shells.

After b'fast I go out and toss the leftover food out onto the ground for the chickens along with the egg shells. They all come running!!

I will usually step on the egg shells to mash them a bit just so they don't LQQK like egg shells. They peck at the shells and take what they need.

 

[wyododge]

We leave ours in the oven, take em out after preheat. Then I put them in a paper bag and beat the snot out of them!!! Ahhhhhh all better now.

 

[debid]

I just crush them with my shoe when I dump the compost bucket.

 

[Mom2Five]

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