Eggshells

[Alex]

Just witnessed a first (for me and mine anyway)

Always provide boiled eggshells for my gouldians - unfortunately the breeding cage base wire occasionally allows the half shells to fall through and the more they are at them the more likely they are to fall through - ie at laying time when the hen is at them constantly. The pair laying this week have had an ongoing battle keeping the shells either in the food bowls or not falling though the wire (there is Calcivet in the water but this hen in particular has had an insatiable calcium requirement this past few days)...Mr Oz Yellow Cock today decided to stick the half shell in the nest box so Mrs has an uninterrupted supply.

Maybe Ill stick one in each nest box from now on...

[Jayburd]

wow, that's interesting behaviour... they seem like pretty smart cookies!

[bleeding green]

My dad never feeds egg shells to his finches because it was believed that allowing birds to eat egg shells may encourage them to eat their own eggs. Has anyone heard this or had any experience to it either way? I feed them to the parrots.

[Diane]

I have heard of that in connection with chickens.

[jusdeb]

Yep my Dad is the same . I crush mine in a food processor so I guess they at least dont look like an egg shell any more .

[E Orix]

I have fed baked egg shell for years in particularly to Gouldians and I have no recollection of any eating their eggs.
Maybe those that feed egg and biscuit should stop as well
My personal view, bake the egg shells and simply throw them on the ground it also gives the birds something to do

[bleeding green]

Egg and biscuit is going a bit far.

How long do you bake them for at what tempreture? Do you not trust boiled egg shells?

[jusdeb]

The eggshells are baked in an oven for 1/2 hour at 180 to 200 degrees .

[Buzzard-1]

Obviously I'm slack I microwave mine for 2min's. My bad?

[Jayburd]

me too 2 mins never had a problem...