If you raise chickens or simply eat a lot of eggs, you probably produce a lot of egg shells! And simply throwing them in the trash is a huge waste. Egg shells are loaded with beneficial nutrients and properties, and there are lots of ways to reuse them and make the most out of your chickens or grocery budget!
First off, you need to make sure you store them properly. You might be able to get away with tossing them all in a 5-gallon bucket on your back porch, or, if that attracts pests or mold, you might want to take more precaution. Depending on how you reuse them, you also might want to sanitize them before storing.
The easiest way to sanitize the egg shells is to rinse them off, the spread them out on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. This will kill any harmful bacteria that might otherwise fester in your eggshell stash.
Then, simply store in any container of choice, and use as needed!
Here are some of the many ways you can reuse eggshells around the house:
Compost
The easiest way to put your egg shells to good use is to add them to your compost pile! They’re a great addition to any compost operation, and one of the most highly recommended organic materials to start a pile. You can save up a lot to get your pile started, and just toss freshly used shells on your pile as time goes on. If you’ve got a compost pile, you’ve always got something to do with leftover egg shells!
Garden Fertilizer
Eggshells are a fantastic garden fertilizer, as they contain up to 97% calcium carbonite, as well as phosphoric acid, nitrogen, and calcium. You can grind them up in a food processor and sprinkle around your plants, or work into the soil of a new garden bed.
Pest Control
Eggshells also work as an excellent pest control! Use ground eggshells and sprinkle in a circle around any plants that have been attracting slugs or snails. The sharp fragments of eggshells will be very uninviting to these little pests, and have the added bonus of fertilizing your plants too!
You can also deter cats (of all things) from using your garden as their own personal litter box by spreading roughly broken up egg shells around the edges. They won’t want to step on those with their delicate paws, trust me!
Dietary Supplement
You’ll want to make sure to use properly sanitized egg shells for this, and grind them up very finely. You can use a powerful food processor or a coffee grinder, and then add to gel caps or simply mix into food. This is an excellent source of calcium and other nutrients, and about as whole as it gets.
Chicken Dietary Supplement
Your chickens can benefit from those healthy nutrients too! Simply add to their feed for an added calcium boost. Their eggs will be very healthy, because they’ll be supplemented by, well, the exact nutrients they need for healthy shells!
Seed Starts
A very fun and clever way to use egg shells is to start seeds in them! Simply fill the shells with potting soil and plant seeds. Once they’re sprouted, all you’ll need to do is to gently crush the egg shell and plant directly in the ground! It will slowly break down as the plant grows, and fertilize the soil as it goes!
Bird Seed
Chickens aren’t the only birds who will enjoy your egg shells! If you crush them up and sprinkle them on the ground, you just might attract a few wild birds who will enjoy the nutritious treat.
Household abrasive
You can actually use finely ground eggshells as a handy, and totally natural, household abrasive. Add 1 cup finely ground egg shells to baking soda and use as you would Bon Ami for stubborn stains or grime. It’s excellent for cooked on grease and grime.
Smoother Coffee
You can actually add egg shells directly to your coffee to help reduce the acidity. Since egg shells are basic, they counteract the otherwise highly acidic coffee. Add a few egg shells in the machine with the ground coffee, or simply toss into your freshly brewed cup (although the former is probably preferable, I’m sure gritty coffee isn’t too appetizing to many people!)
Natural Remedy
Ground up eggshells can actually make a wonderful natural remedy for skin irritants. Let soak in some apple cider vinegar for a few days, and apply to minor rashes, hives, or bug bites.
Face Mask
You can even use eggshells in an all-natural, skin-firming face mask! Wisk up finely ground eggshells with 1 egg white, and spread on your face. Let dry, and rinse, following with toner and moisturizer.
Suggested Article: “Apple Cider Vinegar for Beautiful Skin”
Laundry Whitener
This might be in the realm of old wives’ tale, but some say that if you toss some egg shells in with your whites, they’ll come out brighter!
Candle Craft
You can make adorable votive candles by pouring wax into an eggshell. Get creative with egg dying or colored wax! Very fun and frugal gift.
Eggs are a fantastic food, and their shells are almost as versatile! Have you tried any of these eggshell hacks before? Let us know in the comments below.
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