Chocolate for Chooks

Today I made a special treat for my chooks which I call "chocolate for chooks" it is something that they go nuts over, even though it might not seem that appetizing to you and me.



This is about half a dozen egg shells which I baked in the oven at 120C for 30 minutes and then smashed up in a mortar and pestle. It is good for the chooks as it supplements calcium back into their diet. The small, sharp bits which would play merry hell with a human's digestive tract are actually useful in the chicken's gizzard for helping to cut up and digest food. Grit is an essential part of the diet for birds and especially for laying hens.

Here is a video of the reaction when I arrived at the coop with a dish of crushed eggshell. It is guaranteed to get them into the coop without too much trouble. Well, except for big, beautiful Bertha.



Betha's pretty but she's not too bright. She never can seem to understand why walls get between her and her food, poor darling, but with a little guidance, she finds her way. Sorry for some of the unsteady camera angles in this clip, but it is a bit complicated handling the camera, watching where the chickens are, and avoiding standing on them all at the one time. Hopefully I will improve at this lol!