Egg shells for chickens

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Chickens get a lot of nutrition from their food but we can offer more. I like to add extra supplements in their diet by putting crushed eggs shells and grit in the run and allowing the chickens to free range whenever possible. I do not add the shells or grit to the main food bin. I have two different areas where they can find the extra supplement the chicken is looking for.

Not all chickens need extra calcium and some chickens find it when free ranging. The calcium helps the chicken produce an egg and the egg to become stronger. It isn't recommended to give chickens extra calcium until it is fully mature and at egg laying stage. This is about 18 to 22 weeks of age. Since I have so many kinds of chickens that matured at different times, I added the shells in the run first before changing the feed to an extra calcium blend. I used oyster shells from the store while waiting for the chickens to produce enough eggs to make their own supplement.

Once the shells have been baked, put them in a deep bowl.

Grab a potato masher or something to crush the shells. I use a meat mashing utensil. Start pressing down and break apart the shells.

I like to make mine as fine as possible so the chickens don't know it's their own eggs.

When the eggs are done, simply put them in a container for later or out for the chickens right away.

I crush the egg shells as fine as possible so the chickens don't think it is an egg shell. This is because chickens will eat their own egg whole if allowed to for different reasons. Once a chicken eats whole eggs, it is very difficult to stop them. I have had chickens see a broken egg in the coop and eat it all up within minutes.

I have seen some people using a mortal and pestle to crush the shells. That does work well but not truly necessary.

One last thing to consider. Some chickens will eat the shells and not need the calcium. I can always tell which one eats too much when her egg shell comes out with white speckles on a brown egg or what looks like extra shell stuck to the egg.

I also use the shells in the garden.

If you would like to see our chickens, you can click here.