Think eggs are just great for eating? Think again! Eggs are incredibly versatile little miracles, and there are lots of tricks and tips you can try using your fresh backyard eggs other than putting them on toast. The nutrients that are found in eggs don’t just have benefits when you consume them - they can be used to re-invigorate things like skin and hair. Not to mention their egg-cellent ability to make leather shine like new!
Read on about some more out-of-the-coop ideas you can use your fresh backyard eggs for. Colour yourself surprised!
- Shine your boots to perfection
Nothing will give your leather boots a better shine and scrub than some egg whites! It conditions the leather and keeps it in good nick - simply dip a cloth into it and shine your boots as normal. Don’t use the yolks though, they may affect the colour of your leather products.
- Emergency glue
Stuck without glue? Egg whites can made a moderately strong glue perfect for kids crafts, if you're stuck without some trusty PVC. Just crack an egg white into a bowl, get your brush and dab on, sticking your materials over the top - once the egg whites dry, everything will hold fast in place.
- Egg white facial, anyone?
Egg whites are packed with nutrients that are great for regenerating and soothing damaged skin. So, it makes sense to use the whites for a refreshing facial
Here are some face mask recipes you can use to soothe your skin:
- For hydrating:
1 egg white
¼ ripe avocado
1 tsp yoghurt
Mash avocado until its lump free, then add the egg white and yoghurt. Apply to your face and leave for 15 minutes.
- For evening out skin discolourations:
1 tsp orange juice
1 egg white
½ tsp turmeric powder
Place the egg white and orange juice into a bowl and then whisk until frothy. Add the teaspoon of turmeric powder and mix thoroughly. Massage into your face in circular motion, keep on for 15 minutes. Gently scrub off your face.
- Get the full salon treatment with an egg-based hair conditioner
Many of us struggle with the neverending saga that is split ends and dry hair that just seems to break - like our patience! Instead of expensive conditioning treatments at the hairdressers, here’s an idea that’s a little bit left of field - rub some egg yolks and whites into your locks to make them luscious!
Eggs are full of Vitamin A and conditioning proteins that will repair and soften your hair. Just rub in to your hair, leave in for around 15-20 mins and wash out as normal.
Don’t forget the eggshells...
It’s not all about the egg whites and yellows - put those leftover egg shells to good use!
- Sprinkle them in the garden to deter pests
Chickens aren’t the only natural way to keep pests under control in the garden - sprinkling eggshells over the dirt also acts as a deterrent. Slugs, snails and other creepy crawlies certainly don’t want to climb over the rough surface to get to your plants.
- Use them to clean those hard to scrub dishes
Some things (like scrambled eggs!) are difficult to get off the pan - only after relentless scrubbing are our pots and pans squeaky clean. Well, eggshells can help here as well. Crush them up and put them in your soapy water - it makes the cleaning liquid more abrasive, and gets the stains off faster.
And the tried and tested favourites...
- Add them to the compost heap
Eggshells will bolster the calcium level of your compost, further enriching the value of your soil and helping your plants grow.
- Crush them up and feed them to your chickens
It may seem odd feeding crushed up eggshells to your chickens, but it really is a valuable resource of calcium for your flock! Crush them up quite finely and put them in a feeder (separate to their normal feed) - they’ll peck it up when they’re feeling a little calcium deficient. You can also buy shell grit if you’d prefer.
Fresh backyard eggs - is there anything they can’t do? Apparently not! And lets not forget how nutritious and delicious they are. Just another reason why we can’t live without our backyard chickens.
