How do you feed egg shells back to chickens

[poodlepill]

do you just crunch them up or put them in a blender to pulverise them?

Let me know, I have been crunching egg shells but they only go so small

 

[birdmomma]

I microwave them (or you could bake them) for a few minutes to get them really dry, and then I crunch them up with my mortar & pestle.

 

[flowergirl60]

I mash them up real good and throw em in the run. Or I drop a whole eggs in the blender and puree, then scramble them up. Got that idea here on BYC. Protein and calcium in one.

 

[OHhappychicks]

I rinse mine out and let them air dry for 2-3 days and save them in a large opened ziplock, then take my rolling pin and roll them until crushed, then throw them in the pen!

 

[poodlepill]

Ahhhhh, thanks for the suggestions. Yeps the ones I am crunching right now are wet-ish. So next time I will microwave them.

Maybe some time I'll try the scrambled egg shells too

 

[welasharon]

I let mine sit out to dry and once a week put them in a blender but I think I will do the ziplock/rolling pin idea next time. It is hot and humid here so I have to make sure they have lots of air flow or they mold.
sharon

 

[nittanyxi]

I rinse mine as I go, crush them in my fist and throw them in the run. no drying, microwaving or crushing into tiny pieces. Is there really a need to do all that?

 

[dolly85]

Wow, sounds like a lot of work! After using my eggs I throw the shells directly outside. The chickens are smart enough to peck at them and take them apart!!!

 

[schellie69]

I just crush them up and drop them in the pen the girls eat what they want no problems.

 

[countrychick14]

I was always afraid that if you gave them the shells, they would become egg eaters. Are you giving them the shells for added calcium thats not in your feed? Instead of oyster shell? Which I don't. Is it bad that I don't give them the shells? They get Layena, I have always had good luck with strong shelled eggs. Maybe I should give them extra calcium....