Are raw egg shells really safe in a compost pile?

I have to admit I'm one of those people who fail more than they succeed when trying to garden - but still love it. I've heard a lot about compost piles and I have a huge container of shredded leaves. I'd like to turn that into compost but when I hear people talking about using table scraps and especially egg shells it makes me nervous. Wouldn't you have the same danger of disease from the egg shells as from raw eggs? Or do you have to cook them or something first? I've just recently learned how easy it is to make quiche so end up with lots of egg shells now. What I lack is just courage.

Keep in mind, It takes a long time for eggshells to breakdown so crush them first.

Yes, good point. Otherwise, you will have completely recognizable egg shells for many, many years.

muttlover: I'm new at composting also. I've gotten a lot of information on the Soil and Composting Forum. I just love Dave's, the people are all so generous with their knowledge and time. I'm learning new things and am enjoying myself immensely. I'm not good at gardening, I've always worked, but now retired, so have the time to do something other than pay the Gardner. It's a hit and miss, sometimes something dies, sometime not. I just dig it up, toss remains in the composter and plant something new.

keepingactive, that's pretty much how I approach my gardening (but I've been at it for about 40 years). I don't get upset if something dies--that's part of the whole process. Plus, I trade plants with several friends which helps keep the cost of new plants down and adds to the pleasure of gardening.

I have a related question.

I just had to throw away some left over cooked rice (white, no additives, spices or anything) and wonder if it will be OK to put in the compost pile, it's a vegetable right??

Every once in a while we have some rice leftover for some reason and I just thought of it.
I have a nice steaming pile of compost cooking in the back yard right now !!

Thank you for your responses !!!

Willy.

Rice is ok in the compost pile and spices too. Just for fun, google 163 things to compost, you'll be surprised! and amazed.

This message was edited Jan 6, 2011 2:05 PM

Thank you !!! That was very interesting. From now on my garbage bags will be skinnier and my compost pile larger, great!!

Does any one have experience with pet hair and how long it takes to compost?
Every time we groom our little tea cup poodle we can almost fill up a grocery bag with all his hair, I wonder how long will it take to decompose....

Thank you !!
Willy

shune:
Thanks for the info on the 1983 items for compost. Very interesting, I printed it out fr future reference. I have some stale tortilla chips I'm going to toss in my pile. I'm putting them in the bread category.

sevseasail: Good question! I don't have dog fur, but I do have an abundance of cat fur!

My favorite is UNPAID bills! ha.

shune: Yes, there are a few I'd question. for instance: "Soggy Cheerios"; only soggy ones not stale ones? Peanut butter sandwiches.....what, are they made especially for the pile? Burned oatmeal and toast--only burned? Lists Post-It-Notes, are they blank or are there notes on them? Liquid from canned fruit, but not from a jar of fruit? I know, I'm just being nuts, but one can get soooo confused.

rodents loves grain and will multiply like crazy. Fruits attract fruit flies - juice have sugars in them - houseflies love them. Paper seem to disappear if cut in small pieces but I don't know for sure. Eggshells last forever even if crushed but at least they add "grit" to your soil. Hairs seem to disappear like crazy - there are a few moth and beetles that eat them along with fingernails - interesting! Maybe birds use the hair too for their nest?

I hope I didn't upset anybody. It's not a Totally serious article I know and They did go a little bonkers with some of their items. Maybe they give the stale cheerios go the squirrels instead? I will now leave compost advising to the experts. lol.

Shune: I'm not upset. I just found it curious that one would spend time listing 163 things that can go into your compost, yet have the list confusing, for us non informed folk who are basically just learning the ins and outs of composting. Malus2006 gave some good reasons why cheerios (grain) might be better if soggy when added to pile. I personally decided that adding fruit was not for me, my compost bin is near my neighbors yard and I didn't want any fruit flies up setting them, so I only added peelings once.

Can rats smell cat fur, do they know it's from cats? Would they be afraid of cat fur? Would it be a deterrent to the roof rats that get into my bird feeders if I hug cat fur on the feeders?. It's late, I'd better go to bed, I'm getting even weirder than I usually am. Drat, now I'm going to dream about rats in the feeders.

I began putting into my compost the unpopped kernels of popcorn and this attracted mice. My cat loved watching them disappear deep into the pile and come out, sit on the edge of the bin, eat the corn and dive back in for another. It made my neighbor nervous so I stopped putting those in. Ive had a possum visit before but I think another neighbor killed it. Keep in mind I live in a huge city in a regular neighborhood and Ive even seen a great blue heron walking across my street a few blocks down! I love my compost. My neighbors bring me stuff to compost and my own weeding, trimming and dead heading creates a lot of material. Of course the earthworms help me out as well. Happy composting everyone!

I think some of the compost articles are very tongue in cheek
"burned toast" probably because you wouldn't be throwing out good toast.
The blue jays around here LOVE Cheerios
Birds use dog hair for their nests, I brush my dog and then stick the hair in the shrubs for the birds