our dogs are eating the eggs

[Steel Magnolia]

We have chickens that free range in the yard during the day. We also have 2 minature (not so minature) Australian Shepherds that live in the backyard and keep predators away from the chickens. Our issue is that the dogs have started eating chicken eggs. We are currently adding on another chicken coop and bigger house to the existing. Any suggestions on doors, nesting box location, etc...that will keep the dogs out, but let the hens in to lay?? Thanks!

 

[brownduck0234]

You can try maybe putting wooden eggs and letting the dogs try to chew that. That might teach the dog to not eat the eggs.

 

[bobbi-j]

How are the dogs getting to the eggs? Are the chickens not laying in nest boxes? If you can get them to lay in nest boxes in the coop, can you maybe make the pop door to the coop too small for the dogs to get in while still allowing the chickens to go in and out?

 

[Weehopper]

You really need to make your nest boxes inaccessible to the dogs. They will know the difference between non real eggs and the real thing. We used to let our older dog have any eggs she found off in the brush, as we didn't want our hen's to go to setting off in the brush. Worked real good, for a while. For one thing raw eggs are not good for dogs(though I never saw any adverse effects in mine). Then, my dog stashed what she didn't want to eat at the moment. She buried them...mmm, nothing like a well aged egg. Makes for fine smelling doggie breath! Lol. I put the nest boxes up where the dogs couldn't get to them. Knew a guy once who nailed his nest boxes to trees. Hen's flew up to lay in them. Probably easier to have a coop that the dogs can't enter.

 

[Mutt Farm]

We have chickens that free range in the yard during the day. We also have 2 minature (not so minature) Australian Shepherds that live in the backyard and keep predators away from the chickens. Our issue is that the dogs have started eating chicken eggs. We are currently adding on another chicken coop and bigger house to the existing. Any suggestions on doors, nesting box location, etc...that will keep the dogs out, but let the hens in to lay?? Thanks!

Depending upon how tall your coop is, a chicken ladder may be a good option for the hens to go in but not the dogs. Obviously, a door that is too small for the dogs would be ideal. Also, placing the nest boxes higher than the ideal 0-24" from the floor with a landing bar in front may work. Sometimes a pis is worth 1000 words if you're able to post them. Keep us posted!