Chicken Eating Eggs

[TheyBeChillin]

Hello!! I need help! One of my hens is eating her eggs, and I have no idea why. They have access to food and water anytime throughout the day with oyster shells in their feed for calcium and grit. I only have four hens- our run is large enough to fit eight while our coop is large enough to fit twelve chickens. I clean the coop regularly, and the girls spend most of their time outside the run anyways. Stress nor malnutrition shouldn’t be the issue. None of my other hens are pecking her- in fact, in the past she’s been the one pecking on them. We have hawks but otherwise, we live in a suburban neighborhood so other predators aren’t stressing my chickens out. She’s always been my broodiest hen and faithfully cared for her eggs. I don’t know what’s causing this or how to fix it! What do y’all suggest?

 

[Bananabread]

Do you have wooden eggs? I would leave 2-3 in each nest box for as long as needed and make sure you collect any fresh eggs as soon as possible.

 

[aart]

Hello!! I need help! One of my hens is eating her eggs, and I have no idea why. They have access to food and water anytime throughout the day with oyster shells in their feed for calcium and grit. I only have four hens- our run is large enough to fit eight while our coop is large enough to fit twelve chickens. I clean the coop regularly, and the girls spend most of their time outside the run anyways. Stress nor malnutrition shouldn’t be the issue. None of my other hens are pecking her- in fact, in the past she’s been the one pecking on them. We have hawks but otherwise, we live in a suburban neighborhood so other predators aren’t stressing my chickens out. She’s always been my broodiest hen and faithfully cared for her eggs. I don’t know what’s causing this or how to fix it! What do y’all suggest?

Have you found any shells left behind?
Are they good and hard or thin/soft?
Is she only eating her own eggs?

I suggest using pecking blocks. These are good:

That's basically junk food, I'd pass on that.

 

[nuthatched]

I feed them Dumor Layer Crumble

They might need more protein, try feeding a higher protein layer or chick feed for awhile

 

[aart]

There have been three eggs that have been eaten. Once the entire egg shell was eaten. Two times only partially eaten. The first two times I only found remnants of the egg, but today I went out and saw Rosie was laying so I went out 30 minutes to an hour later, seeing she was done laying. That’s when I found the other half-eaten egg. I’ve seen my other hens sitting on their eggs or have watched them leave the coop after laying.

It's hard thing to deal with...the only thing I can suggest is to put several fake eggs in each nest, make sure there's plenty of bedding to avid breaks, and gather eggs frequently.

It might be a nutritional thing. Layer feed is minimal nutrition and no other foods should be given because it dilutes their overall nutrition. Might try a higher protein(18-20%) feed and no other 'treats'.
Even if egg eating starts as a nutritional thing, it can quickly become a habit.

 

[aart]

I’ll try to find them some higher protein feed.

Might also put out some oyster shell.
I use a 20% feed and have a small feeder with oyster shell for the active layers.

Is it possible the others could pick up the habit as well?

Absolutely.

 

[nuthatched]

What is their diet, exactly?
Blow out and fill some shells with yellow dish soap.

 

[Daniel Grey]

Would I be able to find these at Tractor Supply?

I get them on amazon

 

[Daniel Grey]

That's basically junk food, I'd pass on that.

I disagree. If you just put it up in their run or coop, it relieves boredom which could be the cause of egg pecking. If you only feed them that then it is bad. But otherwise it is just a treat. You can make homade ones by hanging leaves like cabbage or lettuce up.

 

[aart]

Yes, I have. They are hard. I think she’s only eating her own, but I don’t know 100%.

Have you actually seen her eating her own egg?
No other eggs have been eaten?