Eggshells contain calcium which will really help birds out in spring (Image: Getty)
Feeding birds does not have to be expensive, as many leftovers can really help them, which is why gardeners are being asked to leave out eggshells. Maureen Eiger, the director of Help Wild Birds has shared that eggshells contain a high amount of calcium, which is really good for birds in springtime that are laying eggs. She said: “We throw eggshells in the garbage almost every day, but they are full of calcium and minerals. Birds need additional calcium, especially after nesting season.”
Birds have different dietary needs depending on the season, and in winter, they typically need high-fat foods to build up energy reserves to keep them warm.In spring, female birds benefit from crushed eggshells because they are rich in calcium, which helps them lay strong eggs that hatch successfully and gives chicks the best possible chance of survival.
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Make sure to clean and crush up the eggshells for the birds (Image: Getty)
However, you cannot just throw eggshells on a bird table as raw eggs contain bacteria like salmonella, which can harm birds and cause them to spread diseases to their chicks.
Instead, it is better to take 10 minutes to first bake the eggshells in the oven, as this helps kill any bacteria and sterilise them.
How to feed birds crushed eggshells
All you need to do is keep the empty eggshells in the carton when you cook eggs, and once the carton is full, rinse the shells under the tap.
Raw egg yolk still carries bacteria and can attract pests like rats to your garden, so just quickly wash it out with hot water, but do not use any soap, as that could harm birds.
Next, place the eggshells on a tray and put them in the oven. Bake them at 120C for roughly 10 minutes, and once done, leave them to cool down.
Robins, blue tits and sparrows tend to really love crushed up eggshells (Image: Getty)
The eggshells should then feel really brittle, and you can crush them into small and gritty pieces until they resemble gritty sand or gravel.
Do not put large eggshells out in your garden as they are hard for birds to pick up and they could risk choking on them.
There is also a concern that birds might associate eggs with food and begin pecking at other nests, so it is best for your local wildlife to feed them eggshells in small pieces.
Then, you simply need to place the eggshells on a bird table or throw them around your garden, and it will help give baby chicks the best start to life.
They will really benefit blue tits, sparrows, blackbirds, chaffinches and robins in spring so you will see plenty of them dashing about your garden in March if you leave out eggshells.
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