Afraid hens will teach babies how to eat eggs

[hellokittyfive]

I have three 3 yr old GSL's that have been eating their eggs for about a year. I've tried everything - added oyster shells, filled eggs with mustard, hot sauce, dish soap, put wooden eggs out, nothing has worked. I have three 8 wk old chicks that will soon be integrated with them and I'm really worried they will teach the babies their bad habit. Two of my babies are ameraucana's because I want blue / green eggs. Now I'm afraid I'll never get to see these beautiful eggs!

Besides culling, is there any solution anyone has found that works??

Thanks!

 

[newmarch2014]

Rehoming, with full disclosure. It can be hard to break egg eaters when it has spread to the full flock. There is an egg box system that the eggs then dissapear down a chute to a resevoir that keeps the eggs from being eaten.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Roll-away nests such as newmarch mentioned above would be a good option.

 

[hellokittyfive]

I forgot to mention my husband rigged a nest box so they would roll into a compartment they couldn't get to, and they didn't use the nest. It was the mobile kind though, out in the open. My last resort is to add an external one onto our coop that is nice and dark. Thank you all for your suggestions!

 

[aart]

What are you feeding your egg eaters?
Lack of balanced nutrition and sufficient protein, and animal protein, is usually why the problem starts, but it can become habit if not corrected.

I'd get rid of the 3yo egg eaters, they are probably not producing much any more anyway.

 

[hellokittyfive]

The egg eaters are getting Dumor layer feed, and a few times a week they get cabbage and broccoli, sometimes watermelon and corn on the cob. Oh they are producing, then eating! I find the shells they leave for me. GRRRRRR!!!!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

The egg eaters are getting Dumor layer feed, and a few times a week they get cabbage and broccoli, sometimes watermelon and corn on the cob. Oh they are producing, then eating! I find the shells they leave for me. GRRRRRR!!!!

The diet described above is somewhat low on protein - especially animal protein. Layer ration itself is already at the very lowest end of the spectrum for desired protein in a bird's diet (it works fine for commercial flocks since that is the only feed the birds are taking in) - factor in the addition of low protein other food items and you can easily pull the overall protein content of the bird's diet to an undesirable level.

 

[newmarch2014]

Also, I feed back crushed up dry egg shells to my flock as their calcium since they don't like oyster shells (and I think they are not environmentally friendly). If this makes you startle, know that I have never had a egg eating problem in my flock. I feed them a couple boiled and chopped eggs about once a week also (4 hens). This helps to satisfy a calcium need and a protein boost.

 

[hellokittyfive]

LOL feeding them egg shells does not startle me, thank you though! I assumed that layer feed had all they needed in it. I'll feed them some cooked eggs every week and see if that helps. Any other suggestions on protein I can feed them? I thought that since they were eating the insides and leaving the shells they weren't lacking protein or calcium. I have oyster shells separate, I don't think they touch them.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

LOL feeding them egg shells does not startle me, thank you though! I assumed that layer feed had all they needed in it. I'll feed them some cooked eggs every week and see if that helps. Any other suggestions on protein I can feed them? I thought that since they were eating the insides and leaving the shells they weren't lacking protein or calcium. I have oyster shells separate, I don't think they touch them.

The protein in an egg is on the inside, not the shell. Consumption of oyster shell is often at such a slow rate (the amount needed for each egg produced is surprisingly little) that with small flocks it often appears that none is taken at all for weeks/months because the lowering of the amount in the dish is at such a slow pace.
Ultimately, I would likely remove the egg eaters from my flock and consider the new birds a fresh start. The previous attempt at a roll away nest is not surprising in it's lack of use - roll away nests could work for you but would have to be installed as the only nests available to be effective.