Eggs for your chickens?
We live on a fairly large stand in Doringkloof, Centurion, where my husband has built us two compost bins from wooden pallets and a large chicken coop for the eight young chickens we recently acquired. The plan is to let the roosters go and keep the hens for eggs.
In the very first issue of Platteland there was a lovely article about chickens that said they should be eating more wheat than corn, and that one can grind eggshells, cook them and then feed them to the chickens. Please could you explain a little more?
Thank you so much for a truly excellent magazine full of clever ideas, beautiful pictures and witticisms – we don’t miss a single issue! Maryke Kruger, CENTURION contain lots of maize, which is not as rich in protein as wheat. Simply add wheat to the mixes available at your co-op.
Regarding the eggshells, you certainly don’t want them to taste how good their eggs are! Make sure they get enough calcium by baking empty shells for 10 minutes in a 180°C oven and then break them into fine pieces. Place this in a separate bowl – they’ll nibble away when they feel like it. – Eds.