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Egg Eater

post #1 of 5
6/12/12 at 8:03pm
Thread Starter 

I have 6 birds in my urban flock. 3 a year old and 3 pullets approximately 5 months old.  They are all laying except 1 blue olive egger.  The blue copper marans as of late has discovered she can lay her eggs standing in the run so that they smash on the ground and she can feed herself and her coop mates.   As I work full time, I don't think its feasible to confine her to a dog crate just because of the mess within its confines.  Will this behavior change or will she lead the rest to this "amazing discovery"  Her first 6 or 7 eggs were in the nest and the last few have been smashed....I actually saw her do it once...jumping down off the ramp and passing the egg as she did it.  Any advice is appreciated.  Thanks...

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post #2 of 5
6/12/12 at 8:08pm

I'm having the same problem. For me it got worse. I used to collect a dozen eggs a day, but now I get none. Separate that bird quick!
 

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post #3 of 5
6/12/12 at 9:43pm

I posted about this very issue a few days ago and someone on here suggested a mustard filled egg.  My girls would eat their eggs as soon as they laid them!  Here's how I did it

 

I took a raw egg, a brown one as same as my hens lay

 

I poked a small hole on one end with a nut pick but I left the hole big enough to squeeze the mustard in later

 

Then I drained the egg out

 

Then I filled the empty egg with French's mustard.  Then I placed the egg in their coop.

 

It must have taught them a lesson because I've been getting eggs again! tongue.png

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post #4 of 5
6/13/12 at 6:30am
Thread Starter 

If it was a problem with the hens poking the laid eggs to break them open, then that may work.  My problem is the egg is laid by the hen jumping down from the ramps and expelling when she lands breaking it open and all chickens then devour the smashed egg, shell and all.  What I am thinking is maybe placing a broken shell on the ground and putting nasty stuff in it mustard, dish soap etc., and see if they leave eggs broken on the ground alone????

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post #5 of 5
6/21/12 at 7:16am

I have a hen doing the same thing.... I thought she was just breaking and eating them, but I recently discovered egg residue on the roost below the loft (the area where they actually sleep), and this morning I found the remains on the floor of the coop. I promptly grabbed her off the loft and put her in a run with my gentlest roo...

 

I know the others can learn it. I've seen a couple others peck at their eggs, with no success! She also lays eggs that have no shell. I actually caught her eating one of those before I could pick it up...

 

I don't have time to mess with her. Sad, I like her, she's a BO, not even a year old.

North Central TX native, serving my country in the USAF. I have a small flock of registered Barbados Blackbelly Sheep.

Working on a small flock of quality Salmon Favorelles, 4 French Marans :-D

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North Central TX native, serving my country in the USAF. I have a small flock of registered Barbados Blackbelly Sheep.

Working on a small flock of quality Salmon Favorelles, 4 French Marans :-D

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