bokbok Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I read that you can bake egg shell and grind it to give to them - but now I can't find the thread. Does anyone know whether I should put it in their feed or their grit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraJ Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I have bought grit with oyster shell together for mine. I'm sure you can do that with the shells though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie26pet Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 (edited) i add it to there feed pellets when i have some done, i have a dish of grit in a hanging dish in run as well but if i have used eggs i might as well give to them and thy love it, and i know they getting the grit Edited March 6, 2008 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Put it in their feed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I'm saving my eggshells to make slug barriers - not had problems with thin shells, and my hens have plenty of mixed grit with oyster shell at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokbok Posted March 6, 2008 Author Share Posted March 6, 2008 Thanks everyone I do have grit with oyster shell , I put it in a non-tip , non-slip dog bowl , it seems to got somewhere so I think they are using it! I haven't had any soft/thin shells. Eyren - maybe I should save some for slug barriers then , I though my girls would get rid of my slugs , but if you're still having trouble with them I shall stay vigilant cos I like to grow my own veg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm200 Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I hope you have more luck using egg shells as slug barriers than I did. Last year nothing stopped the slugs in our vegetable patch and some of them were massive - longer and thicker than my finger I'd been considering getting chickens for a while but losing the war with slugs and giving up work were just the excuses I needed place my order with Omlet BTW I have been told (by my father-in-law) that some of the bigger black slugs should be left as they eat the little ones but I think he was pulling my leg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Webmuppet Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Cheapy bran from the supermarket works as good slug deterent- just put a ring of bran around the plants and they won't touch them ( though the chooks mght lovethe bran! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcphail Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I read somewhere that you do not even have to bake the eggs shell- just grind it up beyond recginition (so the chooks aren't tempted to eat their own eggs) and add it to their food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie26pet Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I read somewhere that you do not even have to bake the eggs shell- just grind it up beyond recginition (so the chooks aren't tempted to eat their own eggs) and add it to their food. oh is this right i bake mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I think most people bake it. If you grind it up it will dry out of its own accord. I seem to remember that the baking alters the taste a bit, so that they don't get to like the taste of uncooked shell and start egg eating. The smell of burnt egg shells is....erm....unforgettable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 We have a multifuel boiler so I cleaned out an empty baked bean tin - washed the eggs and removed the inner part to leave just the shell if I could and let them sit in the tin by the boiler - when dry I used a mortar and pestle to smash them to bits and then fed it with the oyster shell and grit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickweed Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I rinse the eggshells, place them on a piece of kitchen roll and microwave them for 1 minute on the highest setting. I add the crushed shell to any soft foods such porridge and rice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 I bake the egg shells (but not for long as they stink). I just crush them in my hand so they get bit and little bits and I tip them into a jar I keep with mixed grit and give it a good shake up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...