Help.. I think I have an Egg Eater.....

[Tuhmu]

Chickens that eat eggs, and especially that many eggs, will be leaving shells. If you're not finding shells, or a mess where an egg was cracked and eaten in the nest box, something else is going on. It's easy to tell when an egg has been cracked in a nest box, it makes a horrible mess in the bedding and stinks the next day. You don't mention any of these things, so I'm thinking it's something else....how old are your birds? what breeds? any chance of a predator or human getting in and taking your eggs? Do your birds free range and maybe have hidden nests? Any recent changes...new birds, illness, a predator attack, even changing feed?

x2 Would definitely check to make sure there also isn't another place where they could be hiding them. Pales from the ceiling are a favorite for mine (I have a somewhat low ceiling and they jumped from the top roost), or were, till I caught on to their shenanigans. (the bucket started clucking one day......)

Bad News..... it has nothing to do with the new coop. I went into the coop today and saw one of my Rhode Island Reds eating an egg, she had cracked four and eaten them. Surprisingly, the other hens were not eating them they were just staring at her. I blew an egg and filled it with spicy horse radish mustard, and THEY LIKED IT. What do I do? I don't want the other hens o learn to eat them but I don't know if I can bring myself to killing her. Also, I closed all windows to the coop today and it was very dark in there it didn't seem to work. UUUGGGHHHHH!

Definitely take her out, it could be that she hasn't corrupted the others yet.... so to speak. See if the situation improves.

I just went through a similar situation where I was always getting 1-3 eggs that were either cracked open, half eaten, or had a perfect peck mark on it. I narrowed it down to my easter eggers (a green egg always had the peck mark) and on Saturday I caught her yolk-feathered! She got moved into the other coop...problem has been solved (though she still gives her own egg her signature peck mark), haven't had a broken egg since. *knock on wood* Going to have to figure out something else to do with her though, before she goes after my new coop mate's (white call duck pair) eggs.

 

[TheEggCollecter]

x2 Would definitely check to make sure there also isn't another place where they could be hiding them. Pales from the ceiling are a favorite for mine (I have a somewhat low ceiling and they jumped from the top roost), or were, till I caught on to their shenanigans. (the bucket started clucking one day......)
Definitely take her out, it could be that she hasn't corrupted the others yet.... so to speak. See if the situation improves.

I just went through a similar situation where I was always getting 1-3 eggs that were either cracked open, half eaten, or had a perfect peck mark on it. I narrowed it down to my easter eggers (a green egg always had the peck mark) and on Saturday I caught her yolk-feathered! She got moved into the other coop...problem has been solved (though she still gives her own egg her signature peck mark), haven't had a broken egg since. *knock on wood* Going to have to figure out something else to do with her though, before she goes after my new coop mate's (white call duck pair) eggs.

Ok, thanks I will have to find a new home for her soon.

So frustrating!

 

[subhanalah]

Personally, I would segregate her and give her some porcelain eggs. Also increase her protien. What are you feeding?

 

[Tuhmu]

Ok, thanks I will have to find a new home for her soon.

So frustrating!

Agreed! Not sure what I'm going to do with mine either. I'm pretty sure she's starting to eat my ducks eggs now, so her days at my house are numbered. I already have golf balls in all the nest boxes and I also work in town 11 hrs.

 

[TheEggCollecter]

Personally, I would segregate her and give her some porcelain eggs. Also increase her protien. What are you feeding?

I am going to put up some fencing around our old coop and let her live out he rest of the week ALONE! I have had golf balls in the nestboxes since we got the new coop open. I hope the works because I would hate to cull.

 

[subhanalah]

I think golf balls are great for encouraging laying in a nest, but many people say they do not work for egg eaters. Also, what kind of food are you feeding? I am noticing a trend on the boards and also people I know that have had hens eating their own eggs for a nutritional deficiency and 9th bit was corrected, the problem went away.

 

[TheEggCollecter]

I have a hopper that is filled with Layer Pellets 24/7. There is always water available.

I think golf balls are great for encouraging laying in a nest, but many people say they do not work for egg eaters. Also, what kind of food are you feeding? I am noticing a trend on the boards and also people I know that have had hens eating their own eggs for a nutritional deficiency and 9th bit was corrected, the problem went away.

 

[donrae]

I have a hopper that is filled with Layer Pellets 24/7. There is always water available.

You might try going to a higher protein feed for a while. Layer has pretty much the minimum needed for most birds to be productive, I think it's only 16%? Try a 20% feed for a while, or supplement protein with meat, beans, whatever source you have.

 

[enola]

Roll away nests would fix this problem, also.

 

[TheEggCollecter]

You might try going to a higher protein feed for a while. Layer has pretty much the minimum needed for most birds to be productive, I think it's only 16%? Try a 20% feed for a while, or supplement protein with meat, beans, whatever source you have.

Ok, thanks. My feed store sells 20 percent layer pellets, now I know what they are for, Definitely will try that.