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So bummed!

post #1 of 3
6/3/12 at 10:59am
Thread Starter 

Well, today our new black Australorp laid her first egg.  We watched her as she laid it right under the tree in front of our window.  We were so excited.  As soon as she was done we went to collect it, but by the time we got to her she had broke it and started eating it.  I immediately took the shell and cleaned up the rest of the mess up.  I called up my friend, who has been raising chickens for awhile, and he said I am probably better off just killing it.  

 

I understand this is a very hard habit to break, but I think I'm going to build a separate box and short run for her and try to break her of this habit.  Am I wasting my time and energy, or is there hope for this young gal?  

 

Thanks for any info.  You all have been so helpful as we have ventured into the world of chickens.  

 

 

sukr4

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post #2 of 3
6/3/12 at 11:52am

Investigate the type of nest box that has a roll-away feature, so she cannot get to the egg to eat it.  Also you may want to invest in some fake eggs.  If the hen tries to break into a ceramic egg to eat it, she won't be successful--it may help to break the habit.  

 

sorry you had this happen on your first egg.

"Was dich nicht umwirft, macht dich starker"   "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."-Friedrich Nietzsche 
My new tag line...added to the end of every sentence--->  "...... after all, they ARE chickens!!!"

 

Here's a link to my BYC page:  http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chickats-page

Here's a link to my BYC blog of sorts http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/jottings

 

 

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"Was dich nicht umwirft, macht dich starker"   "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."-Friedrich Nietzsche 
My new tag line...added to the end of every sentence--->  "...... after all, they ARE chickens!!!"

 

Here's a link to my BYC page:  http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chickats-page

Here's a link to my BYC blog of sorts http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/jottings

 

 

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post #3 of 3
6/3/12 at 1:10pm

Hey I had the same issue and I have 12 Black Australorp....here is what I have done....I make sure they have cracked corn, oyster shell calcium, feed, and scratch grain.  I also put in wooden eggs...now I still seem to have a cracker amongst the group but it has slowed down when all of the above items are in place....if any one of those items are empty...I find a cracked egg...lololol. The chickens are doing a great job of training me!!!  Try any or all of that before killing her.  I hope I have helped ya.

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