How to Feed Chickens Egg Shells

Depending on her breed, a healthy, productive hen can potentially lay up to 300 eggs per year. Since each egg shell contains calcium, this can quickly lead to malnutrition of the hen and thin egg shells if the hen cannot replenish the necessary calcium. While there are many foods that provide calcium to hens, you can supplement by feeding the empty egg shells back to your hen or hens after you have consumed the eggs. This is a somewhat controversial practice, as some believe that feeding the shells to chickens encourages the chickens to eat their own eggs, but thoroughly crushing the shells reduces the chances of this occurring.

Things You'll Need

  • Egg shells
  • Food processor or mortar and pestle
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Instructions

    • 1

      Wash the egg shells thoroughly with hot water. This will remove any obvious debris and contaminants without adding unnecessary chemicals from harsh soaps or cleaning agents. Let the shells dry before moving on to the next step.

    • 2

      Bake the egg shells in your oven at 350 degrees until they are more brittle than usual, about 10 to 15 minutes. In addition to making the eggs easier to crush, this process will further sterilize the eggs. Alternately, you may microwave the shells for 90 seconds to 4minutes, depending on the quantity of egg shells. If you notice the shells beginning to turn brown, stop heating them; the goal is to make them brittle but not to make them change color.

    • 3

      Crush the egg shells with your food processor or your mortar and pestle. The final pieces should not be larger than the size of a sunflower seed.

    • 4

      Mix the crushed egg shells with the chickens' food or sprinkle it on top of their pellets. As the chickens eat, they will consume the egg shells along with their normal food.