Advice Needed!

[Louieandthecrew]

My hen just started laying again after THINKING she was broody. I just found three eggs in the laying boxes (two layed by her, one from my other hen) but one of them was cracked open. I had gotten into the coop through the run so I had to bring the broken egg back through the run. Some of the inside of the egg spilt out and ALL of the chickens ran over and started to eat it! I have heard of them doing this but I've heard that this leads to more. Like the hen will brak the egg after she lays it and start eating the yoke. What do I do??? Thanks.

 

[3goodeggs]

If they do not know that the yummy treat from the sky came from their egg, you are okay. When they start breaking them and eating them, then there is a problem.

 

[Louieandthecrew]

Okay, what would I do if they start eating directly from the egg? I'm thinking they might because my oldest roo pecked the cracked egg itself!

 

[3goodeggs]

Umm... I really do not know if the egg eating issue can be fixed. Roll out egg boxes will keep the eggs away from inquiring chicken brains... Opa has one that he shows us how to build step by step. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=287684&p=1

computers are so useful.
You may want to try some ceramic eggs or wooden ones to keep the curiosity down. I get a toe poked into one every once in a while. When the girls were broody there was a line for the boxes and several hens per box. I got a lot of broken eggs then, and I have to assume some were eaten, however, I do not seem to have a problem with it now. I still need to make the roll out boxes myself.
(Time and money...

)

 

[carrlr]

If your absolutely sure they are, then you need to collect your eggs as soon as possible, which may require several times a day. There are a couple potential solutions, but I don't think any are guaranteed. I've personally not tried it, but I've heard of folks injecting hot mustard inside an egg and leaving that in the nest box. What I've also heard is getting lifelike glass eggs. Since they are so hard, the chickens realize they can't crack and eat them and will became disinterested. Of course you have to still collect the real eggs ASAP. Good luck.

 

[Louieandthecrew]

Good Ideas. I only have two hens so I don't have to collect the eggs very many times a day but I'm also not able to collect the eggs on teh weekends but get some relatives to. Hmmmm... I'm actually going to go to the chicken coop right now and check for eggs because I need to give them more feed anyways so, I'll update you when I get back

PS. Does anyone know of a good way to get rid of rats? They are in our shed in which we keep our chicken feed (right next to the run/coop). We bought some rat poison yesterday but haven't tried it yet. Any other suggestions? Oh, and they aren't just little rats. They are foot long Dwarf (spelling?) Rats. Not a pretty sight! Thanks!

 

[chickenpiedpiper]

I have cured a couple hens of that bad behavior using a couple methods, but it is time consuming. First get oyster shell out there and available to them, you have to clean out the dispensers every once in a while, they dont like the dust, they want pieces. Secondly, collect the eggs regularly, so they are not tempted, and third and best part, leave behind some booby trapped eggs. Since chickens cant taste capsicum, and I have seen them eat some pretty rotten things, it is not taste you are looking for. That being said, I use a compination of spicy horseradish mustard floating in tobasco sauce.

Blow out a couple eggs, and fill them with this awful stuff, and tape them back up and leave in the nest for a few days in a row, or until you dont see the eggs being eaten any more. Who ever is eating them, will get a really upset stomach, and usually within a couple days, they stop eating the eggs.

Now, I know every one is going to freak on this next sentence, but I am going to say it anyways. I give my hens eggs almost every day. (I dont have any egg eaters either) If I find an egg that I dont know how old it is, or one of the banty eggs, which I cant sell, and I get too many off, I toss them way up into the air, and when they land, all the girls come running! All the pieces disappear, and they gobble them up. I make sure they break when they hit the ground, but I have noticed, that if they dont, a hen or two will pick, then they all walk away. This fact reassures me that I am not creating egg eaters. Now, that being said, I am taking a chance, and if you are not comfortable with it, simply dont do it, I am only telling you this info, so you dont worry that one or two broken eggs eaten will turn every one cannabalistic!

I think they are smarter than we give them credit for. (sometimes)

As to a rooster breaking them open, that would be unusual here, I have found my roosters cleaning out nest boxes after the hen and chicks have moved out, but they are kicking everything out, not eating it, more like they are trying to get it ready for the next tenant! It takes a lot of effort to peck open an egg, its not a casual thing, unless the shells are soft. And Oyster shell and getting a bit older usually fixes that.

Good Luck!

 

[Louieandthecrew]

Okay, I give my hens Oyster shell so, that won't be a problem. One other thing is that we do have rats in the shed that is RIGHT next to the coop, (We keep the chicken feed in there.) so that might have just been a hungry rat having a bit of some egg for lunch. Also, I JUST got back from teh chicken coop (I posted this thread yesterday when I got back from the happening) and we had one egg in the laying box from my Red Sex Link hen. it wasn't boken or anything but when I got outside of the coop with the egg the hen that layed it freaked out and REALLY wanted the egg. It's odd that she wouldn't just crack it herself and eat it BUT, I think that she remembered that yesterday I went into the coop, tok something, and when I came out I had some yummy treat for them. But, I don't know for sure!