On Mon, 13 Feb 2006 10:27:45 +0000, undergroundbob
wrote:


Warning - only vaguely gardening-related.

Just wondering - the Garden Bird Catalogue sells oyster shell grit for
adding to bird mixes in spring supposedly to boost calcium levels when
the birds are needing to produce eggs.

I've been making my own bird mixes this winter, and have been wondering
if the same effect could be acheived with ground eggshell. I've been
collecting (chicken) eggshells for a couple of months to experiment in
springtime to see for myself once and for all if broken eggshells deter
slugs (yes I know, I'm a saddo. It keeps me out of trouble though).

I put some (washed and dried) eggshells in my grinder and they produced
an exceptionally fine powder.

Does anyone think this idea has merit? Would the birds be able to
absorb the calcuim from the eggshell? Or is this a terrible idea which
will lead only to a mad cow scenario of avian semi-cannibalism?

Any advice from your vast reserves of various brains much appreciated!

Thanks, Bob

We occasionally mix crushed egshells into the stuf we feed wild birds
and indeed our own chickens for years

Bung them in the bottom of the ovem when theres cooking going on and
they crush down well