Feeding Crushed Egg Shells

[team_realtree]

I have read that as a calcium supplement for your layers you can feed them there own crushed egg shells. I was wondering if anybody knew the proper way to dry a shell and also if I can use store bought egg shells? I wasn't sure if you were only supposed to feed crushed shells from your flock?

Thanks!

 

[DLS]

I feed boled eggs & used shells back to the chickens . we eat fried eggs every morning. The shells go in the microwave to "dry" the raw egg so the birds do not get a taste for raw eggs THEY LOVE THE COOKED shells. also I boil the extra eggs whole & mash them up with a stick & they go crazy for the eggs.
REALTREE Are you from Columbus Ga.?

 

[RHewitt]

If you Microwave the shells for about 2 minutes. It will dry them out real well and make them very easy to break up into small pieces. I put mine is a zip lock to break them up and save the until I get enough to make a nice little pile for the hens to enjoy.

 

[team_realtree]

No I'm from Southern Ontario why do you ask?

If I didnt crush the shells would the birds start make a relation between there eggs and food and start eating them?

 

[Waldo]

We save all of our egg shells on a foil lined pan untill we have a full pan, then we bake them at 200 degrees until they are dried with no moisture of the white or yolk visible at all. We then crush and feed to our laying hens. Have always done this. Eggs can be from store or your yard.

 

[RHewitt]

It is best to crush them so they don't get confused and eat eggs. It also makes it easier for them to eat. Win Win!

 

[speckledhen]

If you bake them on a cookie sheet for about 30 minutes, it kills bacteria and dries them out so they crush easily. I put finely crushed shells in with the oyster shell all the time. No egg eaters here.

 

[Chickie'sMoma]

i just cooked up the shells i've been saving last night. cooked it in the over at 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes, let it cool for some time and then grabbed a potato masher to crush up the larger pieces. i've given my girls boiled, scrambled, and i've given it to them as egg salad minus the onions of course.

i don't see any problem with giving them eggshells from other flocks or from store bought eggs.

 

[nsanywhere]

I just toss in the used shells as it - not dried or crushed. My gang loves them, gobbles them right up, but they don't eat their freshly laid eggs.

 

[team_realtree]

Quote:
So you don't have to mix it in with your layer ration? You can just have seperate feeder with your supplement?