Most of us don’t even give it a second thought when we toss our egg shells into the garbage can. There are several reasons why you why you shouldn’t be throwing eggshells away. Eggshells contain so many beneficial ingredients that can be utilized in a variety of ways in a persons life. Read on to find out about the many uses for eggshells.
Increases egg laying naturally.
- Improves chicken health.
- Deters parasites: mites, lice, fleas, flies & rodents.
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Instead of tossing egg shells into the trash, save them. This article will open your eyes as to how you can use your leftover chicken eggshells in ways that will benefit:
- Your Body
- Your Health
- Animals
- Your Mind
- Your Garden
- Home
- Your Environment
- IMPORTANT Step by Step Instructions BEFORE Using Egg Shells
- 1. Calcium Boost for Your Smoothies (Recipe)
- 2. Skincare (Recipe)
- 3. Soothe Aching Joints
- 4. Calcium Supplement for Chickens (Recipe)
- 5. Fertilizer in Your Garden
- 6. Start Seedlings in Eggshells
- 7. Add Chicken Eggshells to Your Compost Pile
- 8. Kids (and Adult) Art Projects
- 9. Add to Bird Feeders
- 10. Deter Garden Pests
- 11. Use Eggshells to Remove Stains
- Conclusion: 11 Reasons Why You Shouldn't be Throwing Eggshells Away
IMPORTANT Step by Step Instructions BEFORE Using Egg Shells
In order to kill all bacteria from the egg shells, it is important to follow these instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350℉.
- Cook egg shells for 10 minutes. (*This will kill any harmful bacteria.)
- Let the egg shells cool.
- Crush the egg shells up until it becomes a powder. This can be done by using a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, use the bottom of a glass.
- 1/2 tsp. of powdered egg shells is equivalent to about 1000 mg. of calcium. This is about 1/2 of an egg shell.
*IF USING EGG SHELLS IN A COMPOST PILE, IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO STERILIZE THE EGG SHELLS.
1. Calcium Boost for Your Smoothies (Recipe)
According to the American Egg Board, the shell of the egg is composed of calcium carbonate (about 94%) with small amounts of magnesium carbonate, calcium phosphate and other organic matter, including protein.
USDA
Fruit Smoothie With Calcium Boost – Recipe
- 1/2 CUP MILK (COULD SUBSTITUTE MILK WITH ORANGE JUICE)
- 1/2 CUP YOGURT(FRUIT FLAVORED OR PLAIN)
- 1 CUP FROZEN FRUIT
- *1/2 tsp CRUSHED EGG SHELL POWDER (SEE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR HOW TO MAKE CRUSHED EGG SHELL POWDER BELOW)
Don’t just throw eggshells in your smoothie without drying it out and cooking it in your oven! Follow these instructions for the proper way of using egg shells in your smoothie.
- Preheat your oven to 350℉.
- Cook egg shells for 10 minutes. (This will kill any harmful bacteria.)
- Let the egg shells cool.
- Crush the egg shells up until it becomes a powder. This can be done by adding it to your blender before adding the wet ingredients of your smoothie.
- 1/2 tsp. of powdered egg shells is equivalent to about 1000 mg. of calcium. This is about 1/2 of an egg shell.
Add all of the ingredients to your blender and blend for 30 seconds. Enjoy!
Half of an egg shell contains enough calcium that is recommended for the average adult to consume in one day. An easy way of getting this into your daily diet is to add powdered egg shells to your smoothie.
Depending upon your age, your body requires a different amount of calcium in order to maintain healthy bones and teeth.
According to the National Institutes of Health the recommended daily calcium is the following:
| AGE | RECOMMENDED DAILY CALCIUM |
|---|---|
| ADULTS 19-50 | 1000 MG |
| ADULTS 51-70 MEN | 1000 MG |
| ADULTS 51-70 WOMEN | 1200 MG |
| ADULTS 71+ | 1200 MG |
| PREGNANT AND BREASTFEEDING TEEN | 1300 MG |
| PREGNANT AND BREASTFEEDING ADULT | 1000 MG |
2. Skincare (Recipe)
Crushed Egg Shells and Apple Cider Vinegar Skincare Recipe
| STEP 1 | MIX 1/2 CUP APPLE CIDER VINEGAR (WITH THE MOTHER) AND 1 TBS POWDERED EGG SHELLS. |
| STEP 2 | LET SET FOR 24 HOURS.(UNTIL EGGSHELLS COMPLETELY DISSOLVED) |
| STEP 3 | DIP A COTTON BALL INTO THE MIXTURE AND DAB ONTO YOUR BLEMISHES. |
| STEP 4 | LET SIT ON YOUR FACE FOR 5-10 MINUTES. |
| STEP 5 | GENTLY RINSE YOUR FACE WITH WARM WATER. |
Apple Cider Vinegar has many beneficial uses when it comes to skincare:
- Antifungal
- Antibacterial
- Antiviral
- Decreases Skin Inflammation
Crushed Egg Shells and Egg White Mask
- Sanitize the egg shells by cooking them at 350℉ for 10 minutes.
- Cool.
- Crush using a food processor. (Turn it into a powder.)
- Add egg white of one egg to 1 TBS egg shell powder.
- Gently rub in circular motions over entire entire face, making sure to avoid your eyes.
- Let set on face for 10 minutes.
- Wash off with warm water.
| BENEFITS OF USING CRUSHED EGG SHELLS FOR SKINCARE |
|---|
| HYDRATES SKIN |
| EXFOLIATES (REMOVES DEAD SKIN CELLS) |
| HELPS DECREASE FINE LINES |
| LIGHTENS BLEMISHES |
| GIVES YOUR SKIN A NATURAL GLOW |
3. Soothe Aching Joints
| STEPS | HOW TO SOOTHE ACHING JOINTS |
|---|---|
| STEP 1 | MIX 1/2 CUP APPLE CIDER VINEGAR (WITH THE MOTHER) AND 1 TBS POWDERED EGG SHELLS. |
| STEP 2 | LET SET FOR 24 HOURS.(UNTIL EGGSHELLS COMPLETELY DISSOLVED) |
| STEP 3 | DIP A COTTON BALL INTO THE MIXTURE AND RUB INTO YOUR ACHING JOINTS. |
| STEP 4 | SEAL THE JAR AND STORE IT IN YOUR PANTRY FOR UP TO TWO MONTHS. |
Eggshells contain many ingredients that are good for your joints, including:
- Hyaluronic Acid
- Glucosamine
- Chondroitin
- Collagen
4. Calcium Supplement for Chickens (Recipe)
Laying hens require an increased amount of calcium in order to produce eggs with thick, healthy shells. A chicken that isn’t given adequate calcium will often decrease egg production or produce eggs with very thin shells.
Chicken egg shells contain a high amount of calcium. Instead of throwing away your eggshells, save them and serve them right back to your hens!
How do You Prepare Eggshells for Chickens?
Before serving eggshells back to your chickens, it is important to sterilize them first. Cook them in an oven at 350℉ for 10 minutes, cool, crush and then serve in a separate feeder for them. Chickens will only eat as much as their body needs.
5. Fertilizer in Your Garden
Is Egg Shell a Good Fertilizer?
Eggshells make an excellent natural fertilizer for your garden! Plants, fruits and vegetable plants require calcium and egg shells are high in calcium. Calcium is essential for root and stem formation of your plants as well as stimulates new growth on your plants.
How Do I Prepare Egg Shells for My Garden?
- Keep a bucket handy for your eggshells.
- When you have enough shells to fill a bucket, it’s time to dry and sterilize them.
- Preheat your oven to 350℉.
- Cook eggshells for 10 minutes.
- Cool.
- Crush using either a food processor or bottom of a flat glass.
- Sprinkle in your garden.
- Work the egg shells into the soil.
- Water. Calcium will be absorbed systemically, through the plants root system.
What Plants Like Eggshells?
All plants need calcium, but some plants in particular respond well to added calcium:
| TOMATOES | APPLES |
| PEPPERS | CHERRIES |
| POTATOES | PEACHES |
| LETTUCE | CAULIFLOWER |
| CABBAGE | BROCCOLI |
| CELERY | TOBACCO |
| CARROTS | LEGUMES |
| BRUSSEL SPROUTS | PEANUTS |
| MELONS | PEARS |
| GRAPES | COTTON |
6. Start Seedlings in Eggshells
Step by Step Instructions: Egg Shell Starter Pots
| STEP 1 | USE EGGSHELLS THAT ARE CRACKED MOSTLY ON THE TOP. THEY DON’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT, JUST ABLE TO HOLD SOME SOIL. |
| STEP 2 | GENTLY WASH EGGSHELLS. |
| STEP 3 | TAKE A SHARP OBJECT, SUCH AS A NEEDLE AND PIERCE A SMALL HOLE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SHELL FOR WATER DRAINAGE. |
| STEP 4 | ADD GARDEN SOIL. |
| STEP 5 | USE A TOOTHPICK TO MAKE A SMALL INDENTATION IN THE SOIL TO PLACE A FEW SEEDS. |
| STEP 6 | PLACE SEEDS IN THE HOLE AND GENTLY COVER WITH SOIL. |
| STEP7 | PLACE THE EGG IN A CARDBOARD EGG CARTON. |
| STEP 8 | YOU CAN EITHER WRITE DIRECTLY ON THE EGGSHELL TO IDENTIFY SEEDLINGS OR USE TOOTHPICKS WITH LITTLE FLAGS TO IDENTIFY WHAT THEY ARE. |
| STEP 9 | SEEDLINGS ARE READY TO TRANSPLANT WHEN THEY GROW 3-4 TRUE LEAVES. |
| STEP 10 | GENTLY CRACK THE BOTTOM OF THE EGGSHELL AND PLACE THE WHOLE EGG SHELL STARTER POT INTO THE NEW SOIL. |
7. Add Chicken Eggshells to Your Compost Pile
Instead of tossing eggshells into your garbage can, why not help the environment and start a composting pile? Egg shells can simply be tossed into a compost bin and will decompose.
For those of you that are repurposing old pine shavings and chicken manure from your coop to make garden soil, crushed or powdered eggshells can also be tossed into this bin as well.
8. Kids (and Adult) Art Projects
There are countless art activities that can be done with your used eggshells. With the variety of egg shell colors out there, you are sure to be able to make some really cool things! Here are just a few:
- Make Candles
- Blown Out Eggs
- Crushed Eggshell Art
- String Lights Inside of them
- Make Christmas Tree Ornaments
- Use as Candy Holders
9. Add to Bird Feeders
Wild birds will benefit with a little crushed eggshells. First, it is a great calcium boost for the female birds. They need added calcium in order to lay eggs with strong, healthy shells.
Secondly, female birds will use crushed eggshells for nesting material.
| STEP 1. | SAVE USED EGGSHELLS. |
| STEP 2 | COOK SHELLS IN OVEN AT 350℉ FOR 10 MINUTES. |
| STEP 3 | COOL. |
| STEP 4 | CRUSH WITH A FOOD PROCESSOR OR BOTTOM OF A GLASS. |
| STEP 5 | SPRINKLE CRUSHED OR POWDERED EGGSHELL IN A SEPARATE BOWL. |
10. Deter Garden Pests
Crushing dried out eggshells and sprinkling it in your garden helps to deter many crawling garden pests. It works similarly to diatomaceous earth.
Crushed eggshells are sharp to little bugs and create cuts when the bugs crawl over them. These cuts cause many of the bugs to dry out and die, or if it doesn’t kill them, it helps to at least deter them!
| GARDEN PESTS CRUSHED EGG SHELLS HELP DETER |
|---|
| APHIDS |
| SNAILS |
| SLUGS |
| BEETLES |
| CENTIPEDES |
| MILLIPEDES |
| ANTS |
| SOME GRUBS |
11. Use Eggshells to Remove Stains
| STEP 1. | SAVE USED EGGSHELLS |
| STEP 2 | COOK IN 350℉ OVEN FOR 10 MINUTES |
| STEP 3 | COOL |
| STEP 4 | CRUSH EGGSHELLS WITH BOTTOM OF GLASS |
| STEP 5 | ADD CRUSHED EGGSHELLS TO A MESH BAG |
| STEP 6 | THROW MESH BAG INSIDE WASHING MACHINE WITH DINGY CLOTHES |
| -OR- | |
| STEP 6 | ADD CRUSHED EGGSHELLS AND WARM WATER TO STAINED COFFEE MUG |
| STEP 7 | EGGSHELLS WILL HELP TO ABSORB STAINS, LEAVING THEM MUCH WHITER |
Conclusion: 11 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t be Throwing Eggshells Away
Unique Uses of Your Chicken Eggshells
Next time you crack an egg open, think twice before disposing the eggshells into the garbage can. There are so many beneficial ways chicken eggshells can be used.
| BENEFITS | USAGES |
|---|---|
| YOUR BODY | FACIAL SCRUB, FACIAL MASK |
| YOUR HEALTH | CALCIUM SMOOTHIES, SOOTHE ACHING JOINTS |
| ANIMALS | FEED BACK TO CHICKENS, WILD BIRDS |
| YOUR MIND | NUMEROUS ART PROJECTS |
| YOUR GARDEN | 1. BENEFICIAL TO PLANT ROOTS, STEMS AND NEW LEAF PRODUCTION 2. START SEEDLINGS IN 3. FERTILIZER FOR SOIL 4. DETERS GARDEN PESTS |
| HOME | REMOVES STAINS FROM DISHES, LAUNDRY |
| YOUR ENVIRONMENT | ALL NATURAL |
For many usages of your chicken eggshells, it is important to cook them first in the oven at 350℉ for 10 minutes. This not only dries them out, making them easier to crush, but it also sterilizes them, killing any harmful bacteria that may be on them.
As you can see, there are numerous usages for eggshells. What will you use your chicken eggshells for?
