I’ve noticed a few soft shells when gathering eggs. The girls are relatively new to laying, so they lay some odd eggs (like double yolks, eggs with no shells – only the membrane!, and some shells with very odd nodules). But this could also mean that they aren’t getting enough calcium in their diets.
A simple solution to this is egg shells! Utilizing the calcium in their own egg shells is a free and relatively easy way to incorporate more calcium into the chickens’ diet. But since you don’t want them to start pecking at their own eggs once they have laid them, disguising them is a must.
A quick roast in the oven, and a whir in the food processor is enough to turn them into ‘food’ for the chickens. If this sounds weird, or even unhealthy, don’t be alarmed. Chickens actually eat dirt and small pebbles on purpose to help with digestion. Consuming egg shell powder (as long as there are no sharp shards) along side their food is right up their alley!
If your chickens don’t seem to need any extra calcium, or you don’t keep chickens yourself, saving egg shells is still worth while. Add the egg shells to your compost to add nutrients; or, use crushed egg shells directly in your garden to sprinkle around your plants and keep certain insects at bay.
Green Mountain Farm 