With all my backyard chickens, I get a lot of eggs. Once I have used the eggs, I end up with a lot of eggshells. These eggshells are very valuable – full of calcium carbonate and trace minerals such as copper, potassium and zinc. So instead of throwing them away, check out this list of useful ways to use eggshells around the home.
Preparing the Eggshells
Before using the eggs, it is best to allow them to dry.
Rinse them with some water and then lay them on a baking tray to dry.
For better results, place the tray in an oven at 175˚C / 350˚F and heat until the eggshells become crisp.
Once they are dry, crush or grind them into a powder for easier storage and use. This process can be done using a coffee grinder, blender or a mortar and pestle. If you prefer, place them in a ziplock bag, seal and crush with a rolling pin until you have a fine powder.
Just to let you know, that if you use a plastic container for pulverising the eggshells, you may find that your container will become etched.
Ways to Use the Eggshells
Once the eggshells are ready, here is a list of some useful ways to repurpose them.
Homemade Calcium Powder
Crush eggshells into a fine powder and use as a dietary calcium supplement for you or your dogs. Add a small amount to smoothies of baking for a nutritional boost.
Place in the Compost
As they naturally break down over time, the eggshells with help enrich the compost pile. This compost will then benefit a variety of plants such as tomatoes, by adding calcium and minerals to the soil.
Pest Control In the Garden
After crushing the dried eggshells, sprinkle them around in the garden beds to help improve the soil quality and deter pests such as snails and slugs. This is especially useful when growing strawberry plants. To be effective, you will need to reapply regularly.
Fertiliser
Blossom end rot is a disease that tomatoes can get. This can be prevented by planting tomato plants in calcium rich soil. Sprinkle a handful of the crushed eggshells in the bottom of the pot (if tomato plants are in a pot) or the garden bed when planting. Eggshell powder could also be added to the water when watering your garden. Just remember that crushed eggshells or eggshell powder will need time to break down, so you may need to apply another fertiliser in the meantime.
Vermicomposting
For those with a worm bin, adding crushed, dried eggshells will help to neutralise the acid in the compost. It also helps supply grit that worms need for digestion.
Wild Birds
For those who have bird feeders in their yards, you can add crushed eggshells to them to provide extra calcium and minerals for the birds.
Feed Back to Your Chickens
Once the eggshells are fully dried, put them in a food processor and crush them finely before feeding them back to your chickens. Crushing the eggshells first helps to prevent egg-eating behaviour, while the calcium and minerals in the egg shells help create stronger, healthier eggshells.
Natural Abrasive for Pots and Pans
Mix some ground eggshell powder with a small amount of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and dishwashing detergent for a gently, scouring scrub that can be used to clean pots and pans. This natural cleaning product also helps to remove stubborn residue as well.
Seed Starters
For those who grow their own seeds, try using clean eggshell halves as biodegradable seed starters. Sit them in a tray and fill with seed raising mix. Then, plant your seeds. When ready to plant, gently break up the shell by squeezing it before planting directly into the garden bed where it will decompose naturally.
Add to Coffee
Once you have cleaned and crushed an eggshell, it can be added to your coffee to help reduce bitterness and neutralise acidity. Mix a ratio of 1 crushed eggshell to 4 cups of coffee grinds before brewing the coffee.
Arts and Crafts
Children can use eggshells in arts and crafts activities. Crush the into powder or just roughly break them up. They could even be dyed with food colouring if you want. Then, use in mosaics and other craft activities.
Is there anything else you use eggshells for?
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