# Can there be too many eggshells in the compost?



## snoozy (May 10, 2002)

We've only got 2 ducks-alaying, but all the eggshells go into the compost pile. Is there such a thing as too many eggshells in the mix? Will it make the compost too this, that, or the other?


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## Mid Tn Mama (May 11, 2002)

Sprinkle them throughout your garden. The slugs get impaled on the shell and stay away from your plants if you put them all around tender seedlings. Birds eat some to make their shells hard and while they are there eat slugs and other vermin. Then the shells break down and eventually add calcium to your soil.


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## mistletoad (Apr 17, 2003)

All they will do is make your compost more crunchy. Eggshells take forever (or longer) to break down so they won't really do anything to your compost pile one way or another. Some people do all sorts of wierd things to their eggshells (most involve heat and a blender) but we just put them in a big jar, crush them and sprinkel them on the garden. We don't have a big slug problem, but as Mid Tn Mama says this directly adds calcium when they eventually break down.


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## moonwolf (Sep 20, 2004)

snoozy said:


> We've only got 2 ducks-alaying, but all the eggshells go into the compost pile. Is there such a thing as too many eggshells in the mix? Will it make the compost too this, that, or the other?


I can't see that 2 laying ducks will cause problems with too many eggshells for the compost pile. 
I keep a small gallon container (it's actually an ice bucket stolen from super 8  ) on the sink counter top in the kitchen. It fills with coffee grounds, peeled vegetable matter, egg shells, and whatever variety of stuff used in normal everyday cooking and eating (the obvious 'no grease, meat, bones' rules apply). About every other day I dump this into the working compost pile. If I see too much of one thing, such as egg shells, I put extra 'other' materials over that such as grass clippings, and a thin layer of soil. It keeps 'brewing' . The eggshells add calcium. 
If you grow tomatoes, you might consider using crumbled eggshells around the plants. Tomatoes love this and as mentioned the bonus is slug repelling.


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## james dilley (Mar 21, 2004)

You might try this bake the shells on low in the oven then grind them real fine and mix them in that way ,they should break down faster and add calcium to the mix more evenly.


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## gilberte (Sep 25, 2004)

We process most of our egg shells through our pig. Once in a while we'll throw a dozen onto the back lawn for the blue jays to fight over.


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## Jack in VA (Jul 24, 2003)

Whats the point in putting them in the oven?


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## Elizabeth (Jun 4, 2002)

You put them in the oven to dry them out. They get nice and brittle and you can then grind them up in a coffee grinder. I can never get enough of them. I use them in my Can-o'- worms- helps keep the bedding from getting too acid. I just started a worm bin under my rabbit cages and I will never have enough eggshells to keep that area acid-free. Also, people who raw-feed their dogs sometimes use powdered eggshells as a calcium source in the dog's diet.

If anyone wants to get rid of their eggshells, feel free to send them to me!!!!


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