To the majority of people, eggshells are simply trash.
But to homesteader, eggshells are a surprisingly useful resource. You know what they say… “Waste not, want not.”
I personally get a big kick out of finding uses for things people normally throw away. So, I’ve put together a list of 9 Things You Can Do with Eggshells around your own homestead.
(Holy Moly! My list started out with a measly 9 ideas, but after all of my thrifty readers left their ideas in the comment section, it has grown to 30+! I’ve edited the list with these new additions- keep them coming folks!)
**It is very important to only use eggshells from healthy, natural chickens if you or your animals are going to ingest the shells. Eggs from factory farms are not only less nutritious, but can also carry harmful pathogens. I personally have no problem eating raw eggs from my own free-range hens, but I wouldn’t do so with eggs from the store.**
1. Feed them to your chickens.
Boost your flock’s calcium intake by crushing the shells and feeding them back to your hens. My girls much prefer crushed egg shells over the oyster shell supplement from the feed store. I wrote a post a while back that has all the details of collecting, crushing, and feeding the shells.
2. Use the shell’s membrane as an all-natural bandage.
I just discovered this idea, so I have yet to try it, but what a cool concept! The membrane of the shell is reported to help promote healing in cuts and scratches. This post should be able to answer most of your questions about using membranes as a first-aid tool.
3. Boil the eggshells in your coffee.
My first thought when I read this idea was “Why on earth would you do that?” But apparently, people have been boiling eggshells in their coffee for centuries to help clarify the grounds and reduce bitterness. I have yet to give this a try myself, but it might be worth a try. Here is a Eggshell Coffee tutorial.
4. Sprinkle the eggshells around your garden to deter pests.
Soft-bodied critters like slugs or snails don’t like crawling over sharp pieces of eggshell.
5. Give your tomatoes a calcium boost.
Blossom-end rot is a common tomato problem, but I recently learned that it is actually caused by a calcium deficiency in the plant. Experienced gardeners often place eggshells in the bottom of the hole when transplanting their tomato plants to help combat this problem. I’m definitely trying this next year! For more natural gardening tips, grab a copy of my latest eBook, Natural Homestead. It has dozens of recipes to keep your garden chemical-free.
6. Eat them.
Yeah, I know. First I told you to eat your weeds, and now I’m saying to eat eggshells… Hey, I never claimed to be normal. 😉
But yes, many folks actually do eat eggshells for their awesome amounts of calcium. I’ve never actually tried it, but I know that several of my readers have. This post will give you all the info you need to make your own calcium-rich eggshell powder.
7. Use eggshells to start seedlings.
If homemade paper pots aren’t your style, give some of your smaller seedlings a start in rinsed-out shells. This post from Apartment Therapy will give you all the info and photos you need to get you started.
8. Toss them in the compost pile.
Add calcium to your compost by adding eggshells to your pile or tumbler.
9. Sow directly into the soil.
If none of the previous idea sound appealing and you don’t have a compost pile, then you can simply turn crushed eggshells directly into your garden patch. It’s still better than sending them to the garbage.
All of the following ideas were submitted by readers of The Prairie Homestead:
10. Potting Soil Addition: Used coffee grounds and egg shells are wonderful in potted plants. I use a 1:4 ratio. (From Tala)
11. Blade Sharpening: Keep them in the freezer and use to clean and sharpen blender blades by adding water. Then pour the mixture into your compost bin. (From Greenie and Ceridwyn)
12. Canine Remedy: I save my eggshells and let them dry out, when I have a good size amount I crush them, then use a coffee grinder and make them into a powder. If one of my dogs get diarrhea, I just sprinkle a couple teaspoons of the eggshell powder on their food for a day and the diarrhea goes away. (From Terri)
13. Calcium Pills: I save my eggshells in a large bowl, then I steam them to sanitize them and let them dry. Then I grind them down (I use a Vitamix but I think any blender would do if you crush them a little first, or just do it in a coffee grinder) into a fine powder and spoon them into 00-size gelatin capsules for homemade calcium pills. (From Mari)
14. Mineral supplement: I sometimes soak eggshells in lemon water for a few weeks in the fridge. Then I add a tiny bit to my shakes to get extra minerals. (From Jill)
15. Tooth Remineralizing: Natural News.com has an article about using comfrey root & fresh egg shell (organic & pasture raised) for re-mineralizing your teeth. Not sure about this particular method, but it would make sense due to the healing properties of the comfrey AND the minerals in the egg shell. (From Jennifer)
16. Sidewalk chalk: 5-8 eggshells (finely ground), 1 tsp hot water, 1 tsp flour, food coloring optional…mix and pack into toilet tissue rolls and let dry. (From Linda)
17. First Aid Treatment: Fresh egg membranes applied, then allowed to dry, will draw minor infections: splinters, pimples, boils, etc. (From Anne)
18. Making Water Kefir: You can also use eggshell to nourish your water kefir grains. You just add 1/4 of a clean eggshell to your water kefir while it’s brewing. We’ve done this instead of buying mineral drops and it seems to work great. (From Jenna, Sherry, and Tiffani)
19. Christmas Ornaments: When I found a large cache of slightly-flawed plastic suncatcher ornaments to paint cheap at the local flea market a few years ago, I snatched a big bunch of them up. I mixed regular acrylic colors with Elmer’s glue and various “texturizing” elements to pack those suncatchers with. I tried everything from small seeds and spices, to sifted sand, and my favorite turned out to be crushed eggshells. They were no longer transparent, but the flaws were covered, and they make very nice Christmas tree ornaments, wall hangings, mobiles, etc. (From Sweetp)
20. Make Calcium Citrate: Make your own calcium citrate using only fresh farm raised, preferably organic, egg shells. Rinse residual egg out of the shells and air dry. Crush the shell and add 1t. lemon juice per egg shell and cover. The lemon juice will dissolve the shell and there you have it… calcium citrate. (From Mary Anne)
21. Calcium-Rich Vinegar: I was taught by my herbalist teacher to make a calcium rich vinegar by adding calcium rich herbs (nettles, dock, etc) and one clean high quality eggshell to apple cider vinegar. It needs to infuse for at least six weeks, then be decanted. But the calcium from the shell and the plants goes into the vinegar and can be used as regular vinegar would be in salad dressing, over cooked greens, etc. (From Sara)
22. Pan Scrubber: Crushed egg shells work great to scrub pans that have food stuck in them. Yes they will break up, but they still do the job! (From Rose)
23. Ice Cream Addition (?): I was told companies put egg shell powder in cheap ice cream to add extra calcium. I imagine you could do this when making homemade ice cream as well. (From Brenda)
24. Cosmetic Booster: Make it into a powder and add a little bit to your nail polish to strengthen nails. Take that same powder and put it into ice cube trays with water and rub it on your face– it helps reduce the look of wrinkles. Put the powder in your lotion– it softens your hands. (From Amy)
25. Add to Broth/Stocks: For extra calcium and minerals. (From Becky and Tiffani) (See my homemade stock/broth tutorial here.)
26. Arts and Crafts: Use eggshells to make mosaics or mixed-media art projects. (From Carol and Janet)
27. House Plant Booster: “My Grandmother kept eggshells covered with water in a mason jar which she used to water her African violets. She had the most magnificent plants imaginable!” (From Cynthia)
28. Wild Bird Treat: You can also feed them to the birds. They’re high in calcium and are great for birds in the spring when they are laying eggs– just make sure to sterilize them. Bake them in the oven for 20 minutes at 250 F and crush them. (From Susanne)
29. Laundry Whitener: To help your whites not to turn grey, put a handful of clean, broken eggshells and 2 slices of lemon in a little cheesecloth bag with your clothes in the washer. It will prevent the soap deposit that turns the white clothes grey. (From Emilie)
30. Garbage Disposal Cleaner: Toss a few shells down your disposal to help freshen things up. (From Carol) (Okay– since originally posting this, I’ve had several folks say this is a bad idea and that it will clog your drain– so proceed with caution…)
What do you do with eggshells?
Homemade fly sprays, DIY chicken feed, natural bug sprays, herbal salve tutorials? Yes please! Grab over 40 natural barnyard recipes in my latest digital book, Natural Homestead!
Émilie says
Hi, here’s another really usefull trick you can do with egg shells: Whiten you clothes! To help your whites not to turn greyish just put a handfull of clean and broken down eggshells and 2 slices of lemon in a little cheesecloth bag with your clothes in the washer, It will prevent the soap deposit that turns the whites clothes grey. ( instead of spending on thing like oxyclean!!)
Jill says
I’ve never, ever heard of this Emilie! Can’t wait to give it a try. Thanks for sharing!
larry williams says
you can also use the finely groung egg shell powder to help clarify home made wine,just by adding a pre determined amount to ratio of wine
Jill Winger says
Cool- I didn’t know that!
CathyC says
I’m going to do this!
mark says
you can also make calcium acetate with egg shells.grind them up into a powder and mix with vinger.stir and add more until if will not fiz any more.filter out the remaining unsoluable calcium carbonate and let the liquid solution evaporate leaving calcium acetate behind or you can make homemade sterno too.
Luqman says
How it can be a sterno from eggshell ?
Osewa bunmi says
I love that it was good .making soap for goat to bath that was so excited
OSCAR says
IT is so helpful
Travis says
Crushed eggshells put down a drain will actually help to cut and unclog any debris in the drain .
Regarding putting eggshells in your garden(under the dirt) ,good idea but should be dissolved so as to not harm any soft bodied beneficial creatures such as earthworms .
Bananas and eggshells soaked in water and then given to house plants , provides them with potassium and calcium , which plants typically lack .
GLORIA C JOHNNIE says
I love all the sugestions about egg shells ..I read in another area that ..steaming the egg shells and then putting them in a coffee blender to make a power .then spooning the powder in gel capsule …I know i just read it as well and was happy ,so i will be useing good ole farm eggs ..Dr has told me to take lots of Calcium ..so this sounds like the very best that i can
GLORIA
Toni says
Generally speaking, you do NOT need to take lots of calcium! You probably need to take lots of magnesium (any form besides magnesium oxide), and switch your salt to either sea salt or himalayan salt which has many other minerals besides laboratory made sodium chloride. There is actually a natural health book entitled, “Death by Calcium.” You might want to find it.
Annie says
Do the egg shells have to be white or can they be any color (brown or blue) to whiten the clothes? I assume it doesn’t matter because the calcium is what’s important, but I thought I would ask.
Hanneke says
So interesting, did not know you could eat them.
And there is more! 😉
Curious? Take a look at my blogpost.
http://de-gulle-aarde.blogspot.nl/2012/03/hergebruik-van-de-eierschaal.html
bcnu147 says
Many Health web sites state that most Americans consume too much calcium and it is detrimental.
Debra says
Yes, you need magnesium to properly absorb calcium into your body. Calcium alone can actually cause problems such as bone spurs and calcium deposits which lead to arthritis.
John R says
I started taking calcium as a supplement and in less that 2 months I developed a kidney stone. My doc told me there are two forms of calcium. Carbonate and Citrate. Carbonate (Tums) is what I should stay away from. Citrate is the good stuff. I see #20 from Mary Anne says to clean the eggs shell and add lemon juice to make Calcium Citrate. I wonder if she really meant to say Citrate or was just using the word?
Becky Webb says
You can also put them in your meat stock!
candy tutt says
LOL I thought for a minute this said ‘MEAT SOCK” …and I’m = “what the hell?”
Trish says
Hahahahaha!
David J Cottrell says
Hi Becky. If egg shells are lightly crushed, they can be put into any stock being made. They help to clarify the liquid. I put all of my vegetable peels, left over pieces from cleaning, bones, and shells into the liquid. Discard all after making the stock by putting on the compost heap or fed to hens, pigs, etc. Another “old timers” tip, dry the shell in the oven, crush them, but nor very fine, and put into home made wine after it has fermented and is clarifying. They filter the residue from the wine and settle on the bottom of the bottle. Just be careful when removing the wine to other bottles so that the deposits do not get transferred. Suggest a slow decant using a filter. Just to go a step further, as Cynthia says, feed them to birds, don’t feed birds scraps or nuts, etc. because they have plenty to eat However, I add crushed shells to a mixture of seeds and fat when making bird feeds for the winter time.
‘nuf sed. plamuk aka travellingchef
Susanne Mackenzie says
You can also feed them to the birds..they’re high in calcium and are great for birds in the spring when they are laying eggs, just make sure to sterilize them. bake them in the oven for 20 mins at 250 F and crush them 🙂
Cynthia Day Getchell says
Way back, my Grandmother kept eggshells covered with water in a mason jar which she used to water her African violets. She had the most magnificent plants imaginable.!
I keep crushed egg shells in a jar which I add to wild bird seed to act as grit as well as provide calcium practicularly for use in winter.
Also when I feed egg to my dogs they get the shell too, especially beneficial for puppies.
AND egg membranes are used in joint supplements….I didnot know about placing it on cuts which I am about to do…thanks for postoing.
Jill says
Interesting Cynthia– the “old timers” really had stuff figured out, didn’t they. 🙂
Printable Calendar says
Many Health web sites state that most Americans consume too much calcium and it is detrimental.
Tiffani Beckman says
Stick the egg shells in fermenting beverages, the acid will leach calcium out of the shell and into the drink. See Sandor Katz’s sweet potato fly recipe for an example. http://www.crockandjar.com/sweet-potato-fly/
We use ours primarily in the stock pot with bones and veggies. Gotta love mineral rich broth!!
Jill says
Ah yes- I forgot about that! I sometimes put eggshells in my water kefir as well!
Anonymous says
Do you put the shells while making kefir or in the finished product?
Jill Winger says
I put it in while it is fermenting/brewing and then remove it when I’m ready to drink it.
Pauline says
Hi
I want to use eggshells for a project. The directions says to remove the pith. Would this be necessary if the shells have been completely dry for a year or so?
Catherine Whalen says
You should never feed your old egg shells to your chickens. You need to give them oyster shell calcium. If you don’t then eventually you will end up with eggs with very thin shells. Egg shells do not have enough calcium in them for the birds to get what they need. You will also be encouraging egg eating by some of the birds. You are essentially encouraging a form of cannibalism, which will result in possible diseases and other problems. Mad cow disease is readily spread in the factory farm setting because the animals are fed meat byproducts instead of their natural vegan diet. So, please, please do not feed your chickens old egg shells.
Susie says
I can’t speak to whether feeding eggshells to chicken is a good idea or not, but I did want to point out that unlike cows, chickens are NOT vegetarians. When they scratch around they’re looking for bugs, worms, grubs…they aren’t supposed to have only grain.
Jill says
Yes, good point Susie!
kirsten says
I tried to click on instruction on the recipe on how to make coffee that way,but the web site did not function properly.
Mary says
I was the egg shells, let them dry really well on the window sill in the sun then I take them out to the chickens and crunch them up. I noticed an increase in egg production within a few days of doing this, from four eggs a day to six and seven a day.
2brknot2b says
Feeding eggshells to chickens works wonders. They lay a much thicker shelled egg which is less likely to break, or be broken, by the other chickens who roost atop them. Not sure how the chicks fare when coming out, but the stronger the egg, usually, the stronger the chicken hatched. A chick that can’t break the shell I’ve heard will not last long, but this has not been my experience when I’ve aided them in ‘coming out of their shell.’ Now if I could only find some hot, young chick with lots of money to help break her out of her shell. ;~{D
Robin Dickerson says
If you give your chickens their own shells on a “regular” basis say weekly I can see where they would develop the catabolism but not if it’s on since every two month thing. That is what I have been doing. We only have a small flock so I am able to watch them closely and it’s only a small amount that I mix in with their oyster shells.
Kathie B says
Caged chickens are fed a diet that does contain chicken eggshells. I know this because my brother-in-law worked in management for one of the largest egg businesses located in Minnesota. We visited once and toured the business and he told us what they fed the chickens. I can’t remember everything in the feed mixture, but there was definitely chicken eggshells.
Jill says
People’s opinions really vary on this subject, but I choose to go ahead and do it. I also offer oyster shell to my hens, but they far, far prefer the eggshells. It hasn’t caused mine to eat their eggs. I know some wild birds also will eat eggshells, so I figure if they do it, it must be somewhat “natural.”
MIchelinda says
My husband’s family believes in something many people who raise here locally do – that you need to bake them first. They believe that eating them fresh can cause them to develop am unhealthy interest in the shells. Bake them for 30 minutes and they break up very easy and the chickens love them. Explanation I found was it changed the egg shells chemically so they don’t smell like “chicken”. Never had a chicken eat shells and then eat fresh eggs so I do this every time. Also – mentioned above was adding them to lemon water in the fridge. We make what we call “lemon egg” – a quart jar with WHOLE un cracked eggs gently put inside till it is full. Then a lid and fill the jar with straight lemon juice. Leave in fridge 24 hours (you can leave longer, but the eggs start to absorb the taste and can break easy). After 24 hours, take out the eggs EASY – the acidic lemon juice will have eaten a lot of the shell off. At this point the eggs can be dried and used. Now you have about a cup of lemon egg in the jar. Add a spoonful to tea or to water to get a HUGE dosage of fine calcium. You don’t taste the egg shell at all. It tastes extremely hydrating in the summer when added to lemon water and I have been known to add a sweetner packet to make it calcium packed lemonade!
Jill Winger says
This is a great tip Michelinda! Thanks for taking the time to share. 🙂
Stacy says
Love this idea. I’m going to try it soon. 🙂
Anna says
Sounds intetesting.. Can this be done with store bought eggs as well am not near any chicken farms.
Shawna says
Are the eggs raw or hard boiled?
deborah says
As a 40 + yr. homesteader I can honestly say that egg shells are perfectly fine for your chickens as long as you crush them so they do not resemble their former self anymore. You can also add other grit since you most likely would not have enough for a steady diet for them. The oyster shell is to help them digest their food, the calcium and minerals are just a great bonus!
Jill Winger says
Yes- I agree!
Melissa says
I always give the egg shells to my chicken and they eat them right up. Sometimes I don’t make it to the coop in time and I will find cracked frozen eggs in the coop I also toss those on the ground in their run and there gone in minutes. I have never had an issue with my girls eating their eggs they lay unless I give them the eggs. I have been seeing a lot of write ups that giving your chicken oyster shells when they don’t need it can be dangerous. They can overdose on to much Calcium. Does anyone know about this? I don’t want to kill my girls that is why I give them the egg shells instead and I also feed them yogurt which they love. It is so funny watching them eat it and fling it on one another.
Jill Winger says
Hmmmm… I’ve never had any trouble with ODing– I just offer it to them free-choice and let them self-regulate. They seem to do just fine with that. 😉
2brknot2b says
Extra calcium will simply become waste product. Some of the eggshells, and oyster shell may not break down, and I have had chickens lay their eggs with what looks to be a part of one,or the other attached to the outside of the shell naturally.
Chris says
I definitely feed the shells back to them. I’ve done it forever, and my girls shells are not brittle or thin. They are thick awesome eggs. They also don’t eat their own eggs.
Amy Love @ Real Food Whole Health says
Seems like the key might be to crush them up really well- then they don’t actually know it’s from the eggs. I’ve heard of others giving like half shells and the chickens have then started breaking, and eating, their eggs after that.
MissMininAZ says
I used to work at a zoo and we used to feed the entire egg to the ducks and geese… if that means anything to you all.
Jill says
Interesting- did you notice that it cause the ducks/geese to want to eat their own eggs more often?
Susan says
I always feed the shells to my chickens. I bake them first to change the flavor and make them more brittle. I have never used oyster shell to give my chickers extra calcium. I have never had thin or weak eggs. I think that the chickens got on fine before somebody thought to feed them crushed up shells, but my chickens are free range as well.
ero says
Your not feeding them there chicks and dogs east there placenta off puppies no need to be narrowed minded and go all ASPCA on us my family has raised quality organic chickens this way for years. I suppose you want me to also give my chickens antibiotics and hormones? Do done research chickens do this naturally. Any way love all these different usages for egg shells! Awesome website by the way
Catherine Whalen says
I am not going all ASPCA on anyone. Too bad your grammar is as poor as your manners. My grandfather raised chickens for over forty years without the use of hormones, antibiotics or any other chemicals. He was a wise man and found that giving his free range flock their egg shells rather than the oyster shells produced poor eggs over time, as well as encouraging egg eating. When one is raising hens for their eggs, one tends not to want to encourage egg eating. Even in the best conditions one cannot fully replicate nature. I am, of course, assuming that your aren’t raising these animals to be your friends, but rather to provide food for you and your family – whether for their flesh or only for their eggs. I also assume that you are trying to find the balance between maximizing the output and successful harvest of eggs, with providing the birds with the best conditions. The chicken, which originally come from jungle climes, may indeed eat some egg shells in the wild, but their diet is so much more varied than what even the best so called organic farmer can provide. Do your homework.
Karen says
Catherine, maybe you are taking this too offensively? Did you ever consider this person either is in or may have come from a different country? This response was a tad bit harsh. Everyone evidently is doing their homework and coming up with different conclusions. See below for others’ about egg shell consumption.
Tasha says
Well said!:)
eloisa says
You just need to calm down i have auto correct on my phone and didn’t care to read thru what i wrote and besides who the hell are you LIL Miss country grammar! I don’t eat my chickens and some are no longer laying! You just are a judgmental person who wants to push your way on everyone! This was “uses of EGGSHELLS not opinions of closed minded people who will pass judgment on how you raise chickens or use eggs/egg shells. Get a life and understand you are the minority here.
Steve says
What I don’t understand is why a vegan would even be interested in this thread. By your own statement, this is cannibalism, so logically, the egg is “chicken” which is definitely not vegan. So I assume you don’t eat eggs or chickens. I have fed eggshells to my chickens for over 40 years, and haven’t ever had a hen start eating her own eggs because she ate eggshells. We put our eggshells on a lower rack in the oven to dry, and crush them into fine pieces before feeding them. Never fed oyster shell, caged birds or free range. Never had a soft or thin shell problem. (Occasionally, a new pullet will lay a soft-shell egg, but that is normal, and not a sign of calcium deficiency.) I appreciate your concern, but maybe what you need to do is get your own flock of chickens and do your own research (homework).
Samantha says
I have been raising chickens for years since I was a kid, I am also a Owner/moderator of a Chicken group with over 3000 members and I have never heard of this being a problem with any of my members, my own family has always fed them the egg shells & the eggs are just as healthy as any store bought…better….. I can’t agree on the cannibalism theory that they will turn if you feed them egg shells, they may turn for other reason’s like living in small quarters, no place to roam, trying to get away from the hen pecking order, or new feathers coming out mistaken it for food are just some of the theory’s on why they will eat their own. Chickens are omnivores and want the protein & will eat anything slower, smaller & weaker then them if they can catch it.
Karen says
I disagree. I feed mine egg shells all the time and don’t have a problem with cannibalism. There are times I cook the whole eggs, mash them and give them back—not a problem. I have even given them the eggs that I find broken in the nest.
I do dry my shells in the oven and then bag them and then step on the bag to break them up. I do not feed oyster shells and have not had any problems. My girls roam the yard and pasture and eat anything in sight,
amber says
As to Mad cow disease- It started out as Chronic Wasting Disease in wild deer actually- and it is still around. It’s active in 23 states of the USA as of 2018. It’s active in wild deer, moose, and elk currently. It is present in Sheep in the form of Scrapie. CWD is not currently known to be transmissible to humans, but when it mutated into Mad Cow Disease, it became transmissible to humans in the form of Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease.
Farms began feeding processed deer/sheep to cows as a way to cut feed costs.
Had the deer/sheep been healthy to begin with, mad cow disease would not have happened most likely. (Though, honestly, a cow licking the mouth of a sheep or deer in greeting would have been enough to potentially start an outbreak- all bodily fluids are contagious.) It is not something that happened because they were eating something they weren’t supposed to, as many people assumed. It was because the product being fed was contaminated to begin with.
Sorry to comment on an old comment, but the spreading of misinformation greatly bothers me.
Shannon De Leeuw says
This is only true of you’re feeding your chickens whole eggshells and not breaking them down first into crumbles. I’ve been feeding my chickens eggshells for years and have never had an issue. They will do absolutely fine feeding them their own eggshells as long as they are crumbled up first.
Amy says
Another great use for them.. Make it into a powder and add a little bit to your nail polish to strengthen nails. Take that same powder and put it into ice cube trays with water and rub it on your face. It helps reduce the look of wrinkles. Another thing. Put the powder in your lotion. It softens your hands.
MissMininAZ says
what do you all use to grind into such fine powders?
Gayla says
A coffee grinder works for me.
Tasha says
Amy, making this powder, do you bake them, (and if so for how long and what temperature?) and then grind them? I’m curious for the nails! Would have never thought of doing that, thank you for sharing! 🙂 I’m just running across this site so apologies for asking yrs after your post, but very interested. Look forward hearing back from you if you can please. Thank you 🙂 Also. I personally do not have chickens myself so store bought is ok? Sorry for what may seem silly questions, I’m just really curious! 🙂
Joy says
I want to confirm mixing a good handful of crushed eggshells in the planting hole for tomatoes. I’ve been doing that for 4-5 years now. What a difference!! Roma tomatoes were especially notorious for blossom end rot in my garden – maybe 60% loss. Once I started the eggshell treatment I’ve had to throw away only a handful of tomatoes total over all the years.
Jill says
Thanks for the good report Joy! Now I really can’t wait to try this next year!
Clara says
Just want to tell you that I use the shells also around the base of the tomato plant, about 3 or 4 inches out, brake up but not to find just sprinkled on the top of the ground. It stops all those big green tomato worms because the can’t craw across on the shells to get to your stems.
Jill Winger says
Super helpful tip Clara– thanks for sharing!
Ginger says
Thanks for the information. I will try that next year.
Denisa says
Can feeding eggshells to my chickens encourage them to eat their own eggs?
Jill says
It depends on who you talk to– I don’t think it does, and many people agree with me. However, sometimes people are concerned about this. The best way to make sure this doesn’t happen is to crush them up first.
Sylvie says
If you’ve ever seen or had birds nest, have you ever noticed any shells once they hatched? I’ve had several robin nests under my deck, and every time, there was no shell residue at all. So my guess it they ate it, just like animals eat their placenta. It’s the natural way to get extra nutrients. So It’s unlikely for them to eat the eggs, plus they know what’s in it.
Heather Manthe says
I agree sylvie. I grew up with chickens and never once saw them cannibalizing other eggs. And yes in nature, an animal will eat whatever protein is available. One of our cat’s kittens died from fleas and i walked in on the mother consuming her baby. It was halfway gone when i found them, but the mother had a huge litter to provide nutrients for. Eating the dead one didn’t cause her to go chewing on the rest of them. Pleasant? Of course not. But i won’t go flipping out on her for doing what instinct demands.
Anne Robinson says
I believe animals also eat their dead offspring to lessen the chance of drawing predators to harm those still living.
Katie says
I do most of those things. I made some powder out of egg shells to make calcium but I don’t use it very often, it’s too grity! 🙂
Ceridwyn says
You forgot my favourite one! If you chop up your shells with your secateurs it sharpens them ! Easy! Something to do with the structure of the shells. then you can do what you like with them.
sherry says
I add a small piece to my kefir water-makes the grains multiply faster.
Patricia says
I put my eggshells on the compost but when it was all rotted down the eggshells were still as new. So I stopped but I will now grind them (after sharpening the secetuers of course).
I also found my hair still there and then remembered that otherwise rotted thousand-year-old bodies still have their hair! Whoops.
Paula says
That’s odd. I always put my egg shells in my compost. They compost completely and I don’t even bother crushing them before adding them. I don’t add any thing to accelerate my compost???
Alexia says
In Holland during the occupation, they ate egg shells to keep give them calcium, according to my Oma. As children we used to eat the shells to see what it was like for her growing up.
Janet says
Use in art projects, mixed media. glue on then add different mediums over top of the crushed shells.
Sweetp says
I have always been an arts & crafts oriented person who enjoys trying new things. And I’ve never been one to buy kits and follow their instructions mindlessly. When I found a large cache of slightly-flawed plastic suncatcher ornaments to paint cheap at the local flea market a few years ago, I snatched a big bunch of them up. Instead of trying to cover the flaws with the transparent acrylic paints usually supplied with them, I chose to try something different. I mixed regular acrylic colors with Elmer’s glue and various “texturizing” elements to pack those suncatchers with. I tried everything from small seeds and spices, to sifted sand, and my favorite turned out to be crushed egg shells. They were no longer transparent, but the flaws were covered, and they make very nice Christmas tree ornaments, wall hangings, mobiles, etc. This turned out to be a very fun and fulfilling creation, and I now have an old coffee can full of washed, crushed eggshells that I keep on hand for such experiments. And BTW, I also added beads, ribbons, and all kinds of other little crafty touches with different mediums to really dress them up. These are small, simple, inexpensive projects for the kids too. A cold winter evening around the table with the whole family creating Christmas tree ornaments is a great family project that will create everlasting memories.
Try it and have fun!
Jill says
Great ideas Sweetp! Thanks for sharing!
Sweetp says
Thank you, it really was a fun experiment, and I still have quite a few of the loose suncatchers that I am looking to pull out soon and maybe get my niece and her friend to try when the cold weather sets in. I only wish I could direct you to a sourceto get some as cheaply as I got these. If anyone comes across such a source, please send me
info
Jenny says
I can also vouch for using the egg shells with tomatoes to help prevent blossom end rot. I always put a few in the bottom of the hole when I plant. I did have some problems this year (with BER) but I think that was due to the drought more than anything else. 🙁 I also toss them in my compost pile. I’ve heard about using them to clarify stock but have yet to give that a try.
Brenda says
I was told companies put egg shell powder in cheap ice cream to add extra calcium. I imagine you could do this when making homemade ice cream as well.
Rose says
From an oldtimer: Crushed egg shells work great to scrub pans that have food stuck in them. Yes they will break up but they still do the job!
Jill says
Brilliant! Never heard of this one– thanks for sharing Rose!
Sara says
I was taught by my herbalist teacher to make a calcium rich vinegar by adding calcium rich herbs (nettles, dock, etc) and one clean high quality eggshell to apple cider vinegar. Needs to infuse for at least six weeks, then be decanted. But the calcium from the shell and the plants goes into the vinegar and can be used as regular vinegar would be in salad dressing, over cooked greens (more calcium!), etc. You might need to have someone show you how to do it properly. And the egg shell will cause the mixture to foam a bit so you should keep the container on a plate or something while it is infusing…
Jill says
Good idea! Never thought of that one either!
Adrienne @ Whole New Mom says
Sharing on FB! Nice post!!! As usual 🙂
Jill says
Thanks Miss Adrienne. 🙂
Mary Anne says
Make your own calcium citrate using only fresh farm raised, preferably organic, egg shells. Rinse residual egg out of the shells and air dry (or you could put them in a dehydrator) crush the shell and add 1t. lemon juice per egg shell and cover. The lemon juice will dissolve the shell and there you have it… calcium citrate. I have read of people dissolving the shell right off the whole egg then using the lemon egg in smoothies too but I haven’t tried it.
Jill says
Fascinating Mary Anne! I didn’t know about that- thanks for sharing!
Tricia says
Don’t forget, you can put them down your ink disposal and it sharpens the blades. I, too, feed them to my chickens and what the chickens scatter from their grit bowl, the dogs munch on.
Tricia says
*sink disposal
Jenna says
Great list! You can also use egg shell to nourish your water kefir grains. You just add 1/4 of a clean egg shell to your water kefir while it’s brewing. We’ve done this instead of buying mineral drops and it seems to work great.
Anne says
Fresh egg membranes applied then allowed to dry, will”draw” minor infections: splinter, pimple, boil, etc.
Linda says
5-8 egg shells (finely ground), 1 tsp hot water, 1 tsp flour, food coloring optional…mix and pack into toilet tissue rolls; let dry —-> sidewalk chalk !
Jill says
Awesome idea! Prairie Baby would love that. 😉
Jennifer says
Natural News dot com has an article about using comfrey root & fresh egg shell (organic & pasture raised) for re-mineralizing your teeth. Not sure about this particular method, but it would make sense due to the healing properties of the comfrey AND the minerals in the egg shell. I have re-mineralized 2 of my teeth & got completely rid of a cavity (& most of my other cavity) by using Green Pastures fermented cod liver oil & raw butter oil. It’s amazing! So there is something in the vitamin/mineral content that allows cavities to heal & the tooth to remineralize. It just make sense. And don’t any ol’ trolls go & say it can’t be done, because it CAN. I did it! 🙂 The Healthy Home Economist’s website & Weston A. Price’s website has all the info on healing cavities. And you can go to NN & search the articles for the “how to” on the comfrey/egg shell method. Hope that helps!
Jill says
Interesting Jennifer! I’ve heard of the remineralizing technique using the FCLO, but never using comfrey and egg shell. I’m intrigued! I have bad teeth and would love to avoid more dentist trips, so I’ll definitely be looking into this.
Anne Robinson says
Look into borax and dont buy the scare info. Its naturally occurring, was initially marketed as medicine and is no more toxic than table salt.
MissMininAZ says
i’m soooo glad i kept reading ALL the posts! 🙂 thanks for all the info
Chara @ Stitching Hearts Together says
You may have covered all of these, but I was really impressed with how the eggshells handled my slugs!! 🙂
http://www.stitchingheartstogether.net/2012/04/16/101-ways-to-use-eggs-eggshells-6/
Jill Cruz says
This may have been mentioned but I’ll say it anyway: I sometimes soak egg shells in lemon water for a few weeks in the fridge. Then I add a tiny bit to my shakes to get extra minerals….
cheryl says
My great grandmother used to use eggshells in her perked coffee and it does take out the bitterness. It was a great cup of coffee.
mandy says
I have heard about old timers using egg shells in their coffee. Do you know how they did that? Is it just for perculators? I’ve even heard of mixing a whole egg with coffee grounds. Does anyone know anything about this? I am curious and would like to try it.
Mari says
I save my eggshells in a large bowl, then I steam them to sanitize them and let them dry. Then I grind them down (I use a vitamix but I think any blender would do if you crush them a little first, or just do it in a coffee grinder) into a fine powder and spoon them into 00 gelatin capsules for homemade calcium pills.
Jill says
I like the capsule idea Mari- not sure I’d be able to choke down just the plain powder by itself. 😉
loh says
have been taking egg shells as calcium supplement for a few months . will it cause kidney stones?
Carol Dunn says
It was a lot of work, but worth it. At the school I work at we had families send in their rinsed and dried egg shells. We crushed them and colored them in food coloring. The students then made mosiac masterpieces. they were all beautiful too. Just don’t crush them too small.
terri brand says
I raise dachshunds, and I have found a wonderful use for egg shells. I save mine and let them dry out, when I have a good size amount I crush them, then use a grinder(like you buy for coffee beans) and make them into a powder. then I just put them in an airtight container until I need them.
If one of my dogs get diarhea (sorry about spelling) I just sprinkle a couple teaspoons of the powder on their food for a day and the diarhea goes away.
an old friend told me about it a lo9ng time ago and I have used it when ever needed,
Jill says
Interesting– and very good to know– considering I have 3 rowdy dogs. 🙂
CAROL says
THROW THEM IN YOUR GARBAGE DISPOSAL .. CLEANS IT!
greenie says
Keep them in the freezer and use to clean and sharpen blender blades by adding water. Then pour the mixture into your compost bin.
Jill says
Good one Greenie- I bet my blender blades are beyond dull… 😉
Anne @ Quick and Easy Cheap and Healthy says
I love stuff like this – I hate wasting food! I keep meaning to try the egg shells in my coffee; thanks for the reminder.
Tala says
Used coffee grounds and egg shells are wonderful in potted plants. I use a 1-4 ratio
Lisa says
These are great tips! I compost my egg shells, and occasionally use them as starter pots. Now I’m going to try just crushing and sprinkling them right on the garden. (I don’t have any chickens … yet.) Thank you for sharing.
Shasta says
Bulk Herb Store has a really good recipe for stock using chicken, (free-range), chicken feet, (optional) egg shells, vinegar, and various vegetables. Look on http://www.bulkherbstore.com. Also, the books “Nourishing Traditions” and “Raw Energy” have some good tips and recipes. Bulk Herb Store also has recipes for beef & fish stock.
Robyn says
I put crushed eggshells into our homemade cat food. It gives them beautifully silky fur!
Jill says
Awesome! I’m catless at the moment, but will have to give that a try when we get another barn cat.
'Becca says
Wow, what a great list! I don’t have any ideas to add, but I linked to this article in my big list of ways to reuse things.
Sarah says
Wonderful ideas!
Laura says
Is it possible to use storebought eggs (carton reads grain fed and free range – but stil probably factory) – can they be used in the compost – or added to tomato plants?
What about boiling the egg shells? Would that remove the pathogens – would the shells still be good as calcium in the compost bin or in with the tomato plants?
Thank you!
Jill says
Hi Laura,
I personally wouldn’t have a problem using storebought eggs for my compost or tomato plants– it’s just the ideas that call for eating them, etc, that would make me nervous with factory eggs.
I’m not sure about the boiling and how it would affect the calcium. I imagine it would still be high in calcium, but I can’t say for 100% sure.
Tracey says
I save eggshells for my friends’ worms (worm bin, worm farm?). I understand it makes the worm castings higher in calcium. Probably the same as putting them in the compost.
Kathy says
The red wiggler worms also use them to help digest the compost-able material.
Gail says
We crush our egg shells for use in our worm composter too. We were told to do this by the folks who sold it to us stating it sharpens their teeth for better digestion.
The Lazy Composter says
After I crack my eggs, I wipe out the last bit of liquid with my finger and apply under my eyes before putting them in the compost. It’s always been really good for that delicate skin there, tightens everything up and nourishes it at the same time. It could be the lecithin. I also vinegar tincture them (they will foam and dissolve) and use them in my zucchini bed. And I’ve heard that they’ll dissuade cats from digging in the garden soil, but that hasn’t been enough for my cats. Anyone else?
Jill says
That’s fascinating about using it under your eyes! Never heard that before– thanks for sharing!
Jen says
I grew up on a farm and my mother taught me to never feed egg shells to the chickens as that would definitely encourage them to eat their own eggs (or eggs of other chickens in the coop.) To this day, she has never fed eggs to hers, and they produce wonderful eggs without them.
Nancy says
When we were kids, we used to take 1/2 a shell, glue two large cotton balls in the shell, one on top of the other and use construction paper to make black eyes, orange beak, wings and feet to make a baby chick in a shell for Easter. Then use a scrap for a newly hatched “hat”.
Rocky says
I’ve used them for years, especially on my tomatoes. They really love them. I also raise redworms in extra large containers. The Coffee grinder powder causes the worms to multiply tremendously. I use the worm-castings on all my plants to keep the white flys off and my plants are always healthy. Egg shells haven’t gone in the trash for years, and now I’ve learned many new uses. Thanks !
corina says
I used to be a ballet dancer and I vouch for their efficiency in curing blisters. Pointed shoes often give bloody and horrible blisters that should be cured ASAP for the next class or rehearsal. Take the egg membrane and put the wet side on your blister, a band- aid on and leave it overnight. And…voila! Next morning, if not completely healed .it had certainly improved and allowed me to wear my pointed shoes again.
Roberta Falange says
Directed at the comment about eggshells for the disposal: I recently had to replace my disposal unit, and my plumber said one of the worst things to throw down the disposal was egg shells, he said when he goes to fix disposal that is the number 1 things he finds clogging them. Instead put a handful of ice down the disposal to clean it along with a slice or two of lemon for a clean fresh smell.
Nicole says
For my daughters first birthday party, I made her a pinata using egg shells. First we blew up a balloon. We used strips of newspaper and a flour/water mixture for the base. After three layers of newspaper, we glued egg shells filled with confetti all around the outside. Lastly, we spray painted it purple and added leaves on top, so it would look like grapes. The smallest children hit the pinata first and the confetti fell out, and then the older kids broke it for the candy. It was amazing!
Jill says
What a neat idea Nicole- I never would have thought of that!
Karen says
Thank you so much, all, for your posts! I always thought it was a waste just to throw the shells in the garbage. Tried putting them in the compost in the past but ended up still with egg shells. Found out after they dry a bit in the sink they crunch up very easily! Will definitely try a lot of these things. I don’t have much experience with chickens yet, just starting out, but when I think that humans sometimes consume their placentas (OK that personally would gross me out) and what one person said about wild birds/no egg shells left in the nest makes biological sense.
Karen says
Question: Why do you need to bake (sterilize) (#28) it for a wild bird treat but not for the home-flock?
Anne Robinson says
I’m not convinced either is necessary, but if so, I’d imagine: rapidity of consumption and exposure to heat/moisture i.e. potential to grow organisms. Most wild bird home mixes are cakes held together with fats, which would stifle organism growth, so I see this as over caution. Just my opinion.
Penny says
I bake my egg shells on a piece of foil at approx 250 degrees F until I can smell their stink then I check on them. When they are slightly browned I take them out of the oven, let them cool, then put them in a coffee can. Periodically, I will take a paper towel and crush them inside the can using the paper towel to save my hands. I also save banana peels in the fridge and I put both the crushed egg shells and banana peels around my roses. I fold the foil and save it for the next time.
DEBORAH MATHIS says
You can use a variety of jars: baby food, pimiento, jelly, or any clear jar with a tight-sealing lid.
Use a glue gun, aquarium sealant, or florist clay to adhere your ‘scene’ to the inside of the lid. Allow glue to ‘set’ the required time before adding liquid.
Fill the jar with mineral oil, baby oil, or water. The snow or glitter will fall more slowly in the oil.
Add crushed egg shell for snow and glitter, if desired.
Carefully set the lid (with scene) onto the full jar and seal it tightly.
You may wish to apply more glue or sealant around the outside rim of the jar to ensure a good seal.
You did great! Enjoy 🙂
Andrea says
If you crack them carefully, you can make cascarones (also known as confetti eggs). My kids, know teenagers, still love making them and cracking them over any unsuspecting person who wanders by….
nikkhi says
throw the eggshell into your coffee grinder and grind it down…makes the blades sharper and cleans the grinder well…and then you have powdered eggshell to add to soil 🙂 Simple but works great! powdered eggshell is great to clean pots and pans, the oven and tile and bathtubs or showers (basically anything needing abrasive scrubbing power!) IF you are going to EAT them it it wise to bake them first to kill any chance of selmonella!
As for the conflict about using eggs as a calcium supplement, we DO this and it is great!! )yes crush the shells though) As for oyster shells I have had 1 chicken we know of die of internal bleeding due to a cut in her from the oyster shells! I am thinking they were not ground well enough…so sad! Not sure how common it is, but certainly something to watch for.
Jill says
Love the egg-scouring-powder idea! 🙂
Jamie says
DONT sterilize egg shells before feeding to wild birds or animals. it changes the molecular structure. When did you see birds out in the wild sterilizing anything,especially egg shells? Think.
Cheryl W says
Something I do with my egg shells is to start my veggie seeds and herbs in them. I crack them as to have a cup and then just losely fill with potting soil. Plant seed and water daily. Then when they are ready to transfer, just plant the whole thing. It works awesome. I place them in an egg carton to keep them upright and in place.
Jill says
Yes! I’ve seen this idea around the internet– looks like a great one! 🙂
Bethany says
This is a great idea! Do you have to crack the shells any before planting them in the ground? I would think it would be difficult for the little roots to break through on their own.
Thanks! 🙂
Craig L Johnson aka thenaturenurd says
Good article overall. By the way Slugs and Snails are not insects but Mollusks 🙂
Jill says
Whoops- I’ll get that fixed. 🙂
Lisa G says
I use the ground up shells to clean my bathroom as a scrub.
Candace says
here is an old idea not listed yet; save all your egg shells, (lots) dry each of them out and pull the inner membrane out (make sure there is nothing but the shell itself) place in blender and whir into a power. comes out like cornstarch, if you wanted scented powder ; place powdered egg shells into a glass jar,add a few drops of your favorite essential oil and either wrap the outside of the jar with dark paper or paint outside of jar. (you want NO light to get in) seal lid on tight, place in dark corner of your closet or cubby for I believe 4-6 weeks. and you have scented talc power for yourself.
Jill says
Wow Candace, NEVER would have thought of that one! Thanks!
Sundi says
Just fyi: I was putting eggshells down my garbage disposal to “freshen it up” and wound up with a flooded kitchen. The plumber told me that unless your disposal actually pulverizes the shells (which is very unlikely for any brand of disposal), they end up clogging the pipes because the membranes cause them to bunch together almost like glue, obviously forming a bit of a barrier. For me, that tip was a total disaster. I would remove that tip as it is NOT a good idea.
karen says
I make homemade toothpaste instead of adding calcium i add ground up egg shells. it adds the calcium to the toothpaste and also adds a little abrasive for cleaning.
leah says
along with egg shells you should mix in old coffie grinds and add to the garden coffie is poisonus to slugs and snails and if they get around that they have the egg shells to contend with
frank says
Just watch out when you eat the shells because that’s where salmonella likes to hide! Think about it…. the chicken poops out the egg…so where do you think poop is? on the outside of the eggshell! Where does salmonella and e. coli like to play? In the poop! So, the outside of the egg shells can contain salmonella and e. coli! Just wiping the shells clean will not help ya! You will never see me consume eggshells!
Jill says
Yes– salmonella and e. coli do live in feces. However, free-range chickens raised on proper diets are much less likely to carry these diseases. That is why I comfortable eating raw eggs from our own chickens, but not store-bought eggs.
frank says
I’m sorry, Jill, but please take an anatomy and physiology course. No offense, but we all carry these bacteria (they are bacteria, not diseases). They help us digest things. In fact, they are in all living creature’s digestive systems; helping everything breakdown and digest foods. Right now, as you are reading this, e. coli and/or salmonella are inside your digestive tract; breaking down whatever organic material you sent their way. So, how does one get sick with these bacteria? Well, we each have our own normal bacteria (what they call normal flora). No two normal flora are the same! So if flora from someone else goes inside your body, your body acts like it is a stranger and attacks it! You then get sick and could possibly die! This is why everyone tells you to wash your hands, especially after using the bathroom! So, no matter what you feed your chickens (free-range by the way includes chickens eating dirt, garbage, etc… I’d watch them more closely so that they are on your so-called proper diet).
I never said anything about eating raw eggs, either. I said eating the egg shells as stated in the regular post. The eggs in the shells are fine to eat. I enjoy eating them. However, the shells contain the poop and the bacteria I talked about earlier. If you would like more information on bacteria and where it comes from, I will be glad to explain it all to you! Thanks!
Jimmy's Mom says
Wow, Frank. What condescension! Any chance you could’ve given us all the biology lesson without the attitude?
frank says
I’m just sick of reading articles where people don’t state the consequences of eating potentially harmful substances. Then, when someone does, they get told that it’s not possible because they are home grown and whatnot. Just because something is home-grown does not mean that it’s perfectly safe for consumption. There are hazards with anything, whether it’s organic or not. Sorry if I offended anyone, but I was offended when I read such nonsense and felt the need to warn people before they tried it and became potentially, fatally ill.
Tami Lewis says
I feed them to my hens too.
Mary says
It’s been very interesting reading all the comments on here. I agree with all the uses of eggshells. But to slam each other in their uses doesn’t do any good. We each have our own ideas and if you don’t agree with someone else, that’s fine. Do what is best for you. But kind words go much further than bitter words. I, too, am an oldtimer and have raised many chickens in my day, but let each responder to the blog have their own ideas and if you don’t agree with them, ignore the comment. It makes for much more pleasant reading. May God bless all of you in your endeavors in striving for better health.
Ginger says
Thanks for the information. I will try that next year. Your second comment was well said!
Jeannie Brazeal says
I painted eggshells with acrilic paint to create landscapes when I was younger… I also painted dried leaves with acrilic paint to create landscapes too. Cheap natural canvas. Obviously you have to blow them out first. Here is a site that teaches you how to blow them out… http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/04/how-to-make-blown-egg-ornaments/
Laurinda says
O. M. G. Thank you!!
Hyla Brook says
I rinse and let my shells dry. Then I grind them to a powder and add them to the kitchen scraps I feed to my compost worms. My castings are high in calcium, very good for the garden, especially tomato plants.
Jill Winger says
Oh yes– gotta feed those worms! 🙂
Ms.B. says
The link for the coffee is wonky. Here is the correct link http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/drink/reviews/Boiled-Coffee-241190
Mali Korsten says
This is awesome! I usually just give my leftover eggshells to my labrador (she loves to munch them straight down), but I’m keen to try some of these other ideas! Thanks for a great post 🙂
Mira Dessy says
I learned a few things I didn’t know from this list, thanks for sharing. It’s awesome how much can be done with something that most people simply throw away.
Brooke W says
I’ve read that feeding egg shells to your chickens will give them a taste for them and they will actually start to eat their own eggs. I don’t have chickens anymore so I cannot test this but its just a heads up.
Jill Winger says
I’ve heard that as well- but have never noticed it causing a problem.
Dawn Maurer says
My father was raised on a chicken ranch. My grandfather ran his own chicken ranch in Southern California. My own father said that you give your chickens the old crushed up egg shells in their feed.
another thing to use the egg shells for is as you would comet or another sink scrubber. A friend of mine used to use them. he was the one who told me about that years ago. It will whiten and clean the sink wonderfully without the chemicals. I love that idea because i keep the chemicals out of my house.
Jill Winger says
Great tip Dawn- thanks for sharing!
Mary says
Egg Shell Bathtub Scrub! http://www.nourishingjoy.com/homemade-bathtub-scrub-with-a-surprising-secret-ingredient/
Jill Winger says
How awesome is that?! 😉
Carmel says
do not feed them back to your chickens as the chickens will then start eating their own eggs.
Catherine says
Totally agree, but many here seem to be of the opposite opinion. Get the feeling that if they don’t experience the problem, then it cannot ever happen. Hmm, wonder who is closed minded now?
Mariah says
Thanks so much for all the wonderful info!
We have our own Free-range chickens and go through many egg shells!!!! 🙂
Jill Winger says
You are very welcome Mariah!
Roberta Roddy says
Hi, I just boiled a dozen eggs and thought I’d search for ideas to use the shells when I plant my garden. Love all your suggestions here. I have to add one more sort of related to feeding them to your chickens. I had a male parakeet once and decided to get a female to try to mate them. The female about killed the male, so that didn’t work, but she did lay eggs regularly. Problem: she would almost die lying on the floor of her cage after laying an egg. I decided she probably depleted her calcium and maybe even protein supply. I hard boiled and egg, minced the egg and mixed it with the finely crushed the shell. After getting her to eat about a half a tsp. full the first time, she ate it more eagerly and came back to good health. Wish I could say she lived happily ever after, but she remained vicious until the end. My brother was bird sitting for me when I went on a vacation and a snake got into his basement and into her cage. End of bird. :O(
Mike the Gardener says
I grind up the egg shells (most of the time) and feed them to my worms. I have a worm tower for making vermicompost.
georgia leyva says
I put them around my rose bushes
Leslie says
When I was in 5th grade our teacher has all of us bring in egg shells for weeks. When they were dried, we crushed them, coated different shaped bottles with Elmers Glue and rolled them in the shells. We then painted them and the prettiest I recall was a gold vase. This is such a fond memory, I have loved egg shells ever since! Now I have all of these other great things to do with them.
Amy says
My brother ( The Master Plumber) has said many many times… “Do not let anything go into the garbage disposal except for egg shells!” he said the bits of egg shell help to clear the pipes. He has also said that if you are going to grind up the egg shells to run the water on full.
anon says
Our drain was clogged and the plumber said not to put eggs shells and fat down the drain. They combine and clog the drain. We never put fat down the drain, but evidently some fat does manage to get down there during normal use and it congealed and grabbed the egg shells.
randy says
My elderly neighbor swore by them to treat acne. Her son had chronic acne problems until her sister told her to apply the shell membranes on the affected area and allow to dry. Then clean the skin with ivory soap, other soaps often use certain perfumes which can irritate and increase acne. These are the things she passed onto me and she really stressed using Ivory soap. Ivory is always best for cleaning acne covered skin when you can’t afford pricey acne treatment soaps. The egg shell membranes applied before cleaning with the Ivory increased the effectiveness 100 percent, or so she told me. Luckily I had light acne at the time she told me these things but the results blew me away compared to washing with just your average soap and water. Also it is best to rinse with pre-boiled water for obvious reasons. This method for treating acne is a much better choice than going broke paying for special pricey acne treatment soaps. I truly hope this method will improve the lives of those poor folks who suffer from chronic acne issues as some can be quite severe. I know it improved my skin a great deal.
Jill Winger says
Very interesting Randy- thanks for sharing! I bet quality homemade soap would work too.
Sara says
In addition to many of these ideas, I let small eggshell pieces sit in the sink strainer. It slowly breaks down and catches additional food. Also, I like using a mortar and pestle to grind baked eggshells.
Briana says
For a reduce~ reuse~ recycle themed Earth Day activity with our homeschool kids, we saved egg shells for them to make a candle craft. Beforehand, we carefully broke off only the top portion of the egg when using the eggs and gently washed out the shells to remove the membrane. The kids dyed the shells, like you would do Easter eggs, and then we added a small wick and soy candle wax flakes. A quick heating in the microwave melted the flakes into a solid candle and the cute little eggshell candles were placed in small 2″ terra cotta pots that worked perfectly as holders. Very cute kid craft! Of course, the shells could later be composted for even further R~R~R’ing! 🙂
Jill Winger says
AWESOME idea Briana– thanks for sharing it!
Kayla says
I did that with my scouts. To save time you can place them in a muffin pan lined with foil rappers and melt the wax in the shells.
Basia says
When have broken bone, make a powder with it and add to every meal. Ur bone will heal in extra speed!
Jill Winger says
Interesting! But it makes sense b/c of all the calcium. 🙂
Wendy Solomon says
I use the membrane to fix breaking finger nails. When the nail starts to tear put clear polish on it and lay the membrane across the tear like a bandage. Let it dry and then paint over it. Though it may not be even it will allow the nail to grow out. You may need to reapply but it give the nail a chance to grow out, especially when it tears clear down near the quick.
Jill Winger says
I really need to make a note to try this next time… 🙂
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Jill Winger says
Awesome! Your new website sounds wonderful- thanks for the links!
Kayla says
Crush dried shells and place them around your house if you have adobe bugs. Outside of our house use to get covered with them and my grandma would place the shells around the whole outside of the house. A day or two later no more bugs. This is such a nice site my family lived on our homestead for over a 100 years and I had lived there for the first 14 years of my life. This site has so many things that we use to do or my grandma just talked about.
Jill Winger says
That wonderful Kayla! I wish my family had stayed on their original homesteads. 🙂
Tracy LaForest says
You can save them up and use them as a depth finder/current finder in the Winter, when you are ice fishing. My Dad has been saving his shells for this very reason for years. You drop a handful of broken shells into the hole and as they fall to the lake bed, you have an idea of just how deep the water is. It can also let you know if you have a strong current under you, so you have an idea where your fishing line is going to travel.
Jill Winger says
Ok– this just might be the most creative use on the list– I love it!
Margaret says
A few years ago I broke the tops off some large eggs and used the shells to make a centerpiece for small flowers. First, I glued three around, then I think it was five, and so on. Kind of a Christmas tree shape is what I am trying to explain. Some of the eggshells I used were from the colored eggs and the dark brown eggs. I left the natural and placed pansies and other small flowers in them. It turned out just beautiful. I did spray one with spray paint and a high gloss and that one seemed to last the longest — gave some strength to the eggshells. Don’t have it anymore so I can’t post a picture. Just experiment!
Jill Winger says
How creative Margaret!
Health & Organic Wellbeing ( H.O.W ) says
Thanks for sharing this!
Mayra says
This is what we do with them in Mexico http://www.mamalatinatips.com/2012/04/como-hacer-cascarones-de-pascua.html
jeanelle downey says
I have made jewelery out of eggshells
Beverly says
You can use them to minimize pH fluctuations in an aquaponics setup. Wash, remove membranes, dry thoroughly and crush into chips. Do NOT powder them (powder can get sucked down into pumps). Sprinkle handfuls of chips across the top of the planting medium in the plant beds, not in the fish tank. When pH drops too low, water is acidized, and will melt the shells, releasing calcium and raising the pH to alleviate the acid / low pH level. This allows a big drop in use of chemicals for balancing pH levels. Calcium is also one nutrient that plants don’t get from the fish waste. Buffering the acid can save your fish and some plants! This is the same principle as the lemon juice melting the shells in other uses previously posted here.
Jill Winger says
Excellent tip Beverly! I hope to get into aquaponics someday SOON!
Sandy Barnes says
I too use the shells crushed, and feed back to my chickens, garden, and potted plants. BUT, I place the rinsed shells on a paper plate, and microwave them for about 2 mins.
Debra says
This may not be as practical but it makes the most beautiful ornaments. Gently poke holes in each end of your eggs, swirl the needle to break the yolk and blow the egg out, rinse with water and allow to dry. Coat the eggs in beeswax and allow to dry, gently scrape off sections of the beeswax in a stained glass pattern of your choice sort of like paint by numbers, starting with the darkest dye to the lightest, scrape off your pattern and dip in the dye, allow to dry and scrape off the next section to be colored, after the egg is completely colored create a hanger by using a long thin needle thread a string through the egg with a loop at the top and a knot at the bottom dip in shellac or polyurethane and allow to dry
Jill Winger says
Sounds absolutely lovely!
Marilyn says
#29 – laundry whitener. Is this assuming that the shells are white?
Here in Australia we don’t get white eggs, we only have brown eggs.
Will this tip still work?
Luise says
That’s because they paint them!
Laura says
Not sure about eating them. During my childhood my German babysitter used to tell me don’t ever eat the shell. If you find any in your eggs, take them out. She said it would solve constipation immediately ! That was what her native country folks did – they would pulverize the shells for those stomach ailments!
Cheapskate says
I make my own toilet paper with egg shells, Add one cup of finely crushed eggs shells to one cup of recycled wet paper (or cardboard pulp) add 1/3 cup corn starch 1tbs of pine disinfectant, mix all to a slurry, then proceed as for regular paper making. Just google how to make paper, its easy and your bottom will love you for it!
Jennifer says
I have a recipe for powdering egg shells to use as a face powder to reduce shine and even out skin tone.
Dori says
please share!
katrine fair says
ive heard that if you have a problem with deer in your gardes you throw eggshells around your produce to deter the deer(an added bonus of having the eggshells breakdown and providing nutriants to the plant),but i dont know wether or not the egg shells will bring in any coons.
Jill Winger says
Cool!
Pamela says
I make homemade dog food. I use whole eggs, crush the shells and blend eggs and shells in blender to add to the recipe. They get the calcium they need from the shells. The cat even loves it and will steal their food.
Cindy Meier says
Blow out your eggs and use the whole shells to make cascarones (confetti eggs). Just fill the egg (through the hole you put in the end to blow it out) with confetti or paper punches, and glue tissue paper over the end. Lots of fun parties or carnivals.
Gitana the Creative Diva says
Without adequate calcium, worms will not reproduce. Egg shells are excellent food for worms, particularly red wigglers. Finely crush eggshells and add them to your compost bin or vermiculture bin to promote reproduction.
When I’m feeling particularly ambitious, I will blow out the contents of eggs and paint the shells to create one of a kind ornaments.
Eve says
I remember as a child watching my Granny cook eggs, and the broken egg shells she simply wiped her finger inside tham and applied it straight to underneath and around her eyes for wrinkles.
Jori Neys says
I crush egg shells and put in an old milk jug, with crushed garlic, Add water, and let sit in the sun for about a week and then strain into a garden sprayer, and spray on plants to deter deer and other animals from eating the plants/flowers in my garden.
Luise says
We put 1/2 shells upside down in our garden to deter cabbage moths from attacking our tomatoes. Apparently they are territorial and wont lay eggs if another moth is nearby. They don’t see too well and see the white and think it is another moth. We have watched them fly down and then immediately fly away. Since doing this we have never had a problem with these moths.
Jill Winger says
Wow–I’ve never heard that before-interesting!
Jim says
Use 1/2 eggshell to start your tomato plants from seed. Fill the shell with plotting soil plant you seed and when it comes time to plant plant it shell and all. Biodegradeable and it nourishes the plant.
Heather says
I have recently started doing miniature succulent gardens and thought that using old sanitized eggshells as planters would be a fun idea. I found a website that shows a short picture tutorial. It’s a simple craft that I think those looking for a 31st thing to do with an eggshell might enjoy! Here is the link to the website with the DIY: http://lerobinsnest.blogspot.com/2011/04/diy-eggshell-planters.html
Also, lots of cutting succulents can be bought inexpensively on ebay.
Linda says
Hello, my mother used to put the egg shells in a 3 # coffee can that sat on the back of the wood cook stove. after a few days of drying there, she would give the can to one of us kids and told us to feed the chicken. we would take them and step on them and crush them up really fine then leave the chicken yard. we never had any problem with the chicken eating their own eggs. could not afford oyster shell for them. That was over 55 yrs ago. for a while my egg shell went into the trash to be burned. now i let them dry and crush them into a powder and feed my red wigglers fishing worms at least a couple table spoons a week. i started off with 1000. worms. they are doing fine. i have worm tea to fertilize my indoor flowers with. next year i should have enough for my roses outside. also put worm casing on roses for fertilizer. or the shells i do not feed the worms goes in to my spring time bird feeders.
Laura says
Do you know… if I want to save the eggshells as I go, once I wash them, can I just keep them in the fridge until I have a large batch, or should I rinse, boil and freeze them to avoid bacterial growth? I want to grind them into powder for me and to add to my dogs’ food but only have a couple eggs at a time and would prefer to do a large batch of grinding instead of a little every day. TIA for any suggestions! 🙂
Angel says
I’d wash them. Then store them. I do that. Clean the shells and drop them in a large jar until I have enough to bake & crush them.
Beverly says
We were crushing them with the bottom of a meat tenderizer until the kids and us got tired of doing it. We now process them in the coffee grinder. You can get them to a powder if you wish.
Kent SHELLEY says
Egg shells simply put into a bag made of netting of some sort and hung in the branches of peach trees will stop peach tree leaf curl.
Joe says
Eggeind egg shells into a powder and feed them to my red worms. I also put surplus paper egg cartons in the worm bin. Happy worms, healthy soil!
Paula Cox says
another way to make Christmas ornaments is to remove the membrane of the eggshell and crush it into small piece and dye it christmas colors with vinegar and food coloring let soak in dye for a day or 2 stir occasionally the longer in the dye the bolder the color. remove from color with a small sifter and spread on paper towels and allow to completely dry use clear ornaments glass or plastic will do and put a small amount of elmers glitter glue (this dont have glitter in it, its a thinner glue used for glitter)put inside swirl it around the inside of the ornament put in the dry eggshells and shake around until completely covered the inside pour out the excess and allow to dry these are beautiful. use red and plain white to make a candy cane colored one
LAURA says
You can also use egg shells in freshwater aquariums to feed snails the calcium that they need to thrive. Crack the egg open and discard the egg inside the shell and put the half shells in the microwave for 10-20 seconds to loosen the membrane then put them in your aquarium. Your snails will love it!
Jazzy says
Can u put the eggshells in your coffee filter with the coffee and brew it that way I don’t have a coffeepot for the stove yet. Maybe someday I will.
mandy says
I am wondering the same thing about coffee. Anyone know?
Jeanelle Downey says
I have made jewellery with eggshells
Shannie says
I’m not sure if the was said before, and sorry for the repeat, if it was! But you can use egg shells to get out unwanted, fallen eggshells in your cooking or baking. The shell becomes like a magnet. No more unsuccessful finger poking in to your food!
Jill Winger says
Love that trick! 🙂
Herb says
My Mom has always said that burning egg shells in the stove helps keep the chimney clean. Not sure if it works or not . . . but I still burn my egg shells.
Jose says
Would Eggland’s Best’s eggs be adequate for making into a powder for human consumption? It says on the carton: “All natural Vegetarian Fed Hens” and the eggs are Grade AA. -Don’t really know how to go about getting other eggs as I’m a college student and don’t have transportation.
Pat epp says
No, Egglands Best, they are not hens out in the pasture and u cannot absorb calcium unless u have the right ratio of magnesium. A good calcium magnesium supplement would be better and if it has boron and k2 thatis the best. I buy mine on the internet websites getting only name brand s such as Jarrow bone up which has everything u need in it. Now is the age to make sure u get enough calcium magnesium. I am 67 and haven’t had a cavity for 30 years and have all my own teeth. Other brands are good too just read all the ingredients first. About 50% savings.
Linda Burton says
I use them in my garden! I save them & when I plant my seedlings I crush them up to keep the slugs away! Our springs are usually pretty wet here in Lexington,KY! Slugs love my plants & the eggshells are rough which they don’t like! Plus it feeds the soil!
jesse says
I use the shell to scoop out broken egg shell fragments that have fallen into the frying pan.
Diana Estep says
They will keep deer away from roses & such if you crush & scatter fresh eggshells around plants since the deer can smell the membrane lining even though we can’t
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JS, Ph.D. says
I eat raw eggs and have recommended them to hundreds (thousands?) of clients, never with an bad effects. But, these are organic free range eggs.
Calcium carbonate is poorly used in the body as it a complexed calcium molecule. Calcium citrate is a soluble, or ionized, molecule and meets the body needs much better. Most people do not know the rest of the story: There is a triad involved in calcium utilization. Vitamin D carries the calcium across the gut into the blood. But to get the calcium out of the blood into the various tissues something else is needed – good fatty acids. Fish oils are great but flax, black current seed oil, hemp, cod liver oil, and such can do the job. Only by ingesting all three components will your calcium metabolism work OK. Soluble calcium is extremely important to every cell in the body and especially in the immune system.
Some trivia (?) for you: The amount of calcium in a new born chick is more than was ever in the entire egg, including shell, to begin with!
Siroth says
LOL i never thought to put it in coffee. Starbuck should start it first then let me taste it
Jessi says
My grandma told me once that her mom kept all their eggshells and then ground them to a powder. Every couple of moths her and her siblings would be given a teaspoon of the powder as worm prevention. Kinda sounds crazy but grandma said they never had worms
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Susan Shafer says
I read this in a gardening article in a newspaper that eggshells and particularly good for roses.
mary says
I also heard that egg shells are good to get rid of snails!
Anne Miller says
I remember my grandmother always saving egg shells to feed her chickens, but she always baked them in the oven first. She said if you didn’t, it would cause some hens to eat their eggs. Just something I remember from childhood while visiting my grandparents” farm.
Debbie Moore says
Early every Spring, I mix crushed eggshells (I don’t even wash them out) and used coffee grounds into the soil around my roses planted on each side of my arbor. They were pretty pathetic-looking, blooming only a few flowers each year (plants were here when we bought this house). Now, I get literally hundreds of roses climbing up the sides and over the top. I just started doing this about 5 years ago and have fed them nothing else!
Peggy says
I feed them to my dog right after I crack them She loves them!
SEW says
I use half egg shells as seed starters in the Spring. They sit perfectly in the old carton, and when it’s time to transplant, a gentle squeeze breaks up the ‘pot’
The crushed up bits of eggshell are just an added bonus fertilizer planted with the starts!
Nicole Fitzpatrick says
I don’t know if anyone else mentioned it, but eggshells are also good for roses. The minerals from the shells make the cells of the rosebush thicker, so they can fend off disease and pests better. And it also makes the leaves a healthy dark green. All you have to do is crush up dry eggshells and put them in the hole before you plant the rose. Worked great for my roses! 🙂
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Ed says
On the part about using eggshells in coffee, you say “here is a tutorial”…but there is no link to any tutorial. Where is the alleged tutorial?
Jill Winger says
Sorry about that Ed– here’s the working link: http://www.livestrong.com/article/478447-how-to-use-eggshells-in-coffee/
ainin.sofiya says
could i do egg shell powder to scare awy insects such as cockroaches??
Gina says
For roach killer I use Dr.Brommers peppermint liquid soap and water in a spray bottle. Just about an inch or two and the rest of the bottle I add warm/hot water. Roaches here in Hawaii are crazy. They will actually chase you! I am deathly afraid of roaches unless I have my spray then I just soak them with a spray or two and laugh as they die. Sometimes I add extra peppermint or wintergreen oil to the potion but its not necessary. Then I vaccuum their carcass up & wipe up the soap with my mop. Less messy than splatting their guts with a shoe or newspaper. Ewww. Works in about 20-40 seconds after saturating them. Think it works with dishwashing liquid as well. Not sure though. Better than poisonous roach sprays esp around pets and children.
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joel says
Dried eggshell membrane is the most expensive (and effective) “joint health” supplement available. The world’s oldest woman (116) has eaten 3 raw eggs a day since she was 18 years of age when she was “prescribed” this by her doctor for anemia. She has recently dropped down to two eggs per day because she is not as active as she once was! I also have eaten raw farm-fresh non-gmo, organic eggs (3-4 p/d) for over 40 years with no problem. I peel the membrane out of the cracked egg by pushing in and down with my thumb, it becomes easy with practice. Yes, i wash the eggs under warm water first to remove any residue and let dry for a couple of minutes in the dish drainer. i have excellent health as i approach 70 yrs. of age and still have a full head of my natural-color hair that many warned me i would not have because of a biotin deficiency caused by the avidin content in raw eggs. I use the shells to add to my wood fired stove to keep the flue nice and clean, also added to soil for tomatoes, in my composter and added to cat/dog food ( air-dried & ground for these purposes).
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Sam says
As a maintenance tech for over 25 years. Eggshells down you disposal is not a good idea. They can clog your drain and can settle in the P-Trap and stink to high heaven. Lime or lemon peals are good, so are coffee grounds. For a really good cleaning 1 or 2 trays of ice cubes followed by a good rinse with water works well.
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ceramicpro.workshop says
Thank you very much on telling the usage of eggshells 🙂
MaryJane Morales says
Eggshell- Fake fingernail dipping powder. Grind up shells into a fine dust powder add a layer of super glue to your real or artificial nail then sprinkle the eggshell powder onto the glue, dries in a few mins & repeat until the thickness is achieved & when fully dried use a file 2 shape the nail & make it completely smooth then polish the nail & add a clear coat & done.
Trish says
This has been an amazing read! So many ideas to try. I swear by using eggshells in the bottom of pots, first a somewhat whole piece to help reduce the size of the drainage hole then 1/2″ or more of crushed shells under the potting soil. I’d rather use them in pots or around the wisteria in my yard than putting them in the trash!
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bakingfun / baking says
Thank you very much for your sharing! I also know that eggshells can be used as:
Chicken Feed. The first thing you can do with your eggshells is simply to toss them back to your chickens. … Toss Them in Your Coffee. Do you like bitter coffee? …
collecthk says
I know more tips too! Actually, take some shells, wash them and crush into a powder. Mix this with some whisked egg whites and apply on your face as a pack. This works as a hydrator as well as exfoliator and doing it thrice a week will add a natural glow to your skin. So easy!
30+ Things to Do with Eggshells | Getfelyx says
What a great idea! i have never seen this before.
Autumn Rosnor says
Here’s another one—
If you raise water snails as either chicken feed or for your aquarium; they usually need calcium in the water for their shells. Just drop a few in, or grind them to a powder to be prettier. The snails may not go to the bottom of the tank if you only crush the shells and spread them all over; they don’t like sliding over sharp things.