Help ... purplexed at eaten eggs

[amcconnell]

The other day I found about 5 eggs broken and the insides eaten out of them but the shells still there. Today...we cleaned the hen house out (pressure washed it, sprayed insecticide and getting ready to dust it down and put new bedding in nest boxes). Before I could get it dusted and bedding in the nest boxes we found and egg layed in bare nest box but broken and inside eaten out. Could this be by one of my own hens. I feed them scratch and laying pellets every morning and put them out to free range and they get occasional table scraps so I know they aren't lacking food? Or could it be a rodent or smaller animal? Please help and thanks in advance for any replys!

 

[Birdlife99]

I dont think it would be your hens or any bird. It might be a mouse or some other type of rodent. If a bird had got them the shell would most likely be eaten too or almost gone. I hope this helps and you fInd the cause

 

[Wishing4Wings]

I think it probably is one of your chickens. Just like people, they will eat the yummy egg insides and leave the shell. I don't think it is necessarily caused by improper feeding on your part. Chickens are like teenage boys, constantly looking for something to eat! Unfortunately, I've heard egg eating can be a difficult habit to break. Maybe a BYC search about this can give you some ideas.

 

[RuralVirginia]

I had this problem too!! It ended up being one of my Plymouth Barred Rocks. She only ate her own egg (thankfully) and all i could find was the empty shell in the nest box. Good luck! My chicken still has the habit (sometimes).