- Jun 13, 2009
- 131
- 4
- 101
Possible solution to egg eating: For the past weeks, being snowed in for many of the days, I was able to gather eggs several times more each day. My flock is of 25 young RIR pullets that began laying eggs mid January.
We were gathering eggs (2x) daily, and the number was fluctuating. This I was attributing to the fact that not all the birds were laying daily & the cold snowy storms that dropped 30+ inches on our property.
When I was snowed in and collecting 3 or 4 times more often, the number of daily eggs almost doubled. Hummmm! I thought the birds were egg eating - I was right. I do not have enough nest boxes, but had to do with the number that I currently have. I started with a 4x3x14 covered, dark community box which I thought was working, but it was not enough. I have since divided it into 4 individual boxes and it seems to be working better. Realistically I need 8 nest boxes and will have them soon I hope.
Back to the possible egg eating solution: I read here on BYC that birds dont like to eat soap; I see that they are drawn to eggs/shells because they must taste great. I took an empty shell (one that is ¾ whole) and fill it with Murphys Oil Soap. When chilled the oil soap becomes very thick and does not run. After filling the shells with the oil soap, I rolled them around gently to make sure the entire inside of the shell was coated, and then added some more oil soap to make it look like a nice juicy egg yoke (might work even better if oil was more yellow).
I rested this loaded shell in the fridge while I put boots and winter coat on. Took the egg into the coop made an indentation in the bedding to hold he egg upright against the side of the coop and placed the egg in the litter . The birds attacked it. Pecking the shell and the faux yoke. The birds definitely do not like oil soap! They shake their heads, wipe their beaks and seem to be shocked at the previously tasty treat. I have done this daily the past week, and each time there are fewer and fewer birds wanting to attack the loaded eggshell. We are getting average of 19 eggs per day, and some are the light colored eggs of a new laying pullet. So, not all are laying daily, but we are getting many more eggs and the birds are getting more and more shy about tasting the loaded shells. Initially it took a few minutes for the eggshell to be crushed and partially eaten. Now it takes 15 minutes and the shell remains almost completely intact with birds walking around it and only giving it a slight peck now and then. This morning there were about 4 birds that tasted the soap
I think they are learning that the shells are not such a great treat idea, and hopefully that will deter them from eating more eggs.
I will post further successes or failures by editing this post.
A photo of the "faux" egg is here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...?authkey=Gv1sRgCKPl2by5n6jgBw&feat=directlink
Update 2/15/10 Events yesterday afternoon 2:30P
Collected 19 eggs today (4x to coop) one was a new thin egg and was broken, I believe by hen moving around or moving it.. Thin shelled egg was broken and partially eaten. I removed it including the bedding sticking to a glob of egg. I placed a loaded egg where the other egg was and the birds did came over and began pecking at the oil. They stopped immediately and walked around it. After 20 minutes the loaded shell was pecked at maybe 10 times. The shell was mostly intact and the oiled birds were again wiping their beaks. I picked up that egg and added a new one in the center of the coop. It was tramped on, bumped, grabbed and dropped, but after 5 or so minutes there were no takers - took it out. TOmorrow is another day.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...?authkey=Gv1sRgCKPl2by5n6jgBw&feat=directlink
_______________________
We were gathering eggs (2x) daily, and the number was fluctuating. This I was attributing to the fact that not all the birds were laying daily & the cold snowy storms that dropped 30+ inches on our property.
When I was snowed in and collecting 3 or 4 times more often, the number of daily eggs almost doubled. Hummmm! I thought the birds were egg eating - I was right. I do not have enough nest boxes, but had to do with the number that I currently have. I started with a 4x3x14 covered, dark community box which I thought was working, but it was not enough. I have since divided it into 4 individual boxes and it seems to be working better. Realistically I need 8 nest boxes and will have them soon I hope.
Back to the possible egg eating solution: I read here on BYC that birds dont like to eat soap; I see that they are drawn to eggs/shells because they must taste great. I took an empty shell (one that is ¾ whole) and fill it with Murphys Oil Soap. When chilled the oil soap becomes very thick and does not run. After filling the shells with the oil soap, I rolled them around gently to make sure the entire inside of the shell was coated, and then added some more oil soap to make it look like a nice juicy egg yoke (might work even better if oil was more yellow).
I rested this loaded shell in the fridge while I put boots and winter coat on. Took the egg into the coop made an indentation in the bedding to hold he egg upright against the side of the coop and placed the egg in the litter . The birds attacked it. Pecking the shell and the faux yoke. The birds definitely do not like oil soap! They shake their heads, wipe their beaks and seem to be shocked at the previously tasty treat. I have done this daily the past week, and each time there are fewer and fewer birds wanting to attack the loaded eggshell. We are getting average of 19 eggs per day, and some are the light colored eggs of a new laying pullet. So, not all are laying daily, but we are getting many more eggs and the birds are getting more and more shy about tasting the loaded shells. Initially it took a few minutes for the eggshell to be crushed and partially eaten. Now it takes 15 minutes and the shell remains almost completely intact with birds walking around it and only giving it a slight peck now and then. This morning there were about 4 birds that tasted the soap
I think they are learning that the shells are not such a great treat idea, and hopefully that will deter them from eating more eggs.
I will post further successes or failures by editing this post.
A photo of the "faux" egg is here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...?authkey=Gv1sRgCKPl2by5n6jgBw&feat=directlink
Update 2/15/10 Events yesterday afternoon 2:30P
Collected 19 eggs today (4x to coop) one was a new thin egg and was broken, I believe by hen moving around or moving it.. Thin shelled egg was broken and partially eaten. I removed it including the bedding sticking to a glob of egg. I placed a loaded egg where the other egg was and the birds did came over and began pecking at the oil. They stopped immediately and walked around it. After 20 minutes the loaded shell was pecked at maybe 10 times. The shell was mostly intact and the oiled birds were again wiping their beaks. I picked up that egg and added a new one in the center of the coop. It was tramped on, bumped, grabbed and dropped, but after 5 or so minutes there were no takers - took it out. TOmorrow is another day.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...?authkey=Gv1sRgCKPl2by5n6jgBw&feat=directlink
_______________________
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