gooner.girl Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 I'm sure i read somewhere that you can use mashed up egg shells as grit for chickens? Anyone do this and if so, how small do you mash them? and do you mix it in with the pellets or give it seperatly? Does it encourage egg eating? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali-s Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 Mine chickens get eggshells. First wash them and then put on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. I grind the shells to a fine powder using a pestle and mortar. Sometimes I add them to the grub or mix them with the poultry grit. If the shells are ground to a powder the chickens will not recognise them as eggshells and it shouldn't encourage them to eat their own eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 I sprinkle it on the swetcorn that I lure them back into the Eglu with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 I pour a few table spoons into the grub and mix with the mash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gooner.girl Posted October 27, 2006 Author Share Posted October 27, 2006 Thanks for the replies! Doh! I didn't realise you had to bake them! Does it matter what temp? I've already attempted crushing them (though didn't work very well) i guess they have to be really tiny pieces so they don't choke on them? If i do this does it mean i don't need poultry grit as well?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 Well, I just crunch them in my hand & drop then in the run! They will break large bits themselves, and it always disappears. It hasn't encouraged egg eating, although if it did ever start, I would do the wash & bake method. Meanwhile, it's the quick method, and I leave a bowl of mixed grit & oyster shell available all the time too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 I whizz em up in the magimix. Can't be "Ooops, word censored!"d to do them with a pestle and mortar, takes forever. I just bake them if the ovens on for something else for 20 mins or so. Or they can be done in a microwave for a couple of minutes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
