Eggshells in the Compost Pile?

I just started my first compost pile. I researched it on the internet and was surprised that it said to leave out the egg shells. My mother always threw them in her compost. Should they go in or not? If not, why?

I used to toss them in and they seldom break down. Now I wash them, crush them and toss them around the base of my hostas to deter slugs.

I posted somewhere last year(?) that you can put the shells in a laundry bag like used for lingerie and run them through the dishwasher. Really good tip if you can get bulk eggshells from someplace like McDonald's.

Good morning, Darius! Thanks!
We sure have alot of snails here! That could be very helpful. Moonblink posted of a snail problem in his garden. I hope he sees this.

Yeah, it seems a better use for them than composting where they don't really break down.

My new place will be ideal for hostas and I only have a few. More will be coming next year, I'm sure. We have only one fast food joint in our tiny town, a Hardees, and I'd bet I could get lots of eggshells there!

My place is on a creek so I'm sure to have snails and slugs... not to mention the cougars, mountain lions and cayotes!

Your place sounds wonderful, Darius! Especially coming from Miami. I bet it's a wonderland up there! We have panthers here but very few now. Even the deer are getting picked off. My hubby and I are basically tree huggers and we really get mad when we find tree stands or feeding stations on our property. We have posted no hunting signs but they don't help. Hunters now are on ATV's so they can come in from anywhere, not needing a road. I have no idea when deer hunting season is but I dread it.
I wish we had a creek- we have marshes. Now alligator hunting- I promote! All the other critters seem to not be pesky and I don't care if the alligator got here first- I wish they would go away or become someone's dinner. They have no enemies so they proliferate like crazy. I don't know why they ban hunting them. They are aggressive and look for trouble.

I have tried over and over to get my compost pile to "cook" I even bought a composting bin. I live in Idaho where it gets hot and then hotter. No moisture here whatsoever in the summer. How often and how moist does a pile have to be to cook? How much soil to green ratio is needed? Any help and tip would be greatly appreciated!!

Sunny, there are many websites that really give great tips, if I wasn't a moron I'd send a link. Compost like a moist sponge heats up well, not dry not wringing wet. Grass/leaves/kitchen scraps (no meat or fat), you may find other things that boost it too. I use coffee grounds to get mine cooking, Starbucks is great about saving/giving them away. If you started a thread on heating up a pile/tumbler you'd have enough info in a few days to be an expert.

Thanks someradiantpig, I think I will try to do that! And I really have read up on it, I got it to cook once and then...nothing. So the more info the better.

Here is a good site for basics http://www.mastercomposter.com/pile/bldapile.html

Thanks cyberageous, I will go there. I also started a thread (1st timer) so I will be checking for all the great info everyone helps out with. I am enjoying all the people in dave's garden, what a great site!