Big fat Ethel is in big, fat trouble!

[EMaker]

First, make sure she is getting MORE high protein food, not less. I agree with the poster above who noted that her egg eating is likely due to non-animal protein feed at the organic farm. Chickens are omnivores, not vegetarians. Second, it's true that other hens may mimic her egg eating habit, so while you increase her feed and protein levels, do keep her separate from the other hens (or allow her one buddy, perhaps an older hen who knows the ropes already. Younger pullets are more likely to pick up the egg eating habit from another hen. In all likelihood, once her protein levels have been managed properly, she will instead opt for her feed and stop eating eggs.

 

[Erica]

Not wanting to be a downer, but it's my experience that egg eating is permanent. Once they know an egg is full of good stuff they just don't stop. Mustard doesn't work for long and chilli doesn't work at all (birds have no sense for chilli 'heat').

Adding protein can stop them hanging around the nestboxes, but won't stop them eating eggs completely. Roll nests may help, but that's extra expense.

You can cure some cases of egg-eating by confining the birds on a plain floor with no nestboxes or obstacles. The eggs roll away from beaks, though some may be cracked; they simply can't get enough purchase to eat the contents. Takes a couple of weeks and eventually the birds stop trying. You also have to make sure eggshells aren't thin, as thin eggs break too easily. But really, it's safer and easier to cull all egg eaters and that way the behaviour isn't transmitted to new pullets.

I too would give the owners a polite deadline, explaining why the bird can't be kept.

best wishes
Erica

 

[al6517]

I also agree that once an egg eater allways an egg eater, I have tried a few things that seemed logical but never did all way, crazy stuff like mustard and wood eggs and such, some people swear by mainly because I have so many chickens and can't waste my time or keep an egg eater.

 

[EMaker]

Yes but keep in mind that this hen isn't an accidental egg eater...her feeding history likely has a correlation to her egg eating habit. Also, she's a visitor, so the OP is trying to find a way to manage the situation, rather than serve up chicken dinner.

She may be eating eggs because her body needs the protein...fix that, by increasing high protein feed and separating her from the eggs, and she can be managed until the owner is able to retrieve her.

 

[stoopid]

Do meat birds past slaughter time need more protein than layers? I've never had these problems with all my other birds. I've got 26% gamebird pellets...but put those in storage when some young peafowl had leg issues, and found out it was TOO MUCH protein.
Maybe separate her, and give her that stuff. I still can't figure out how to do links, will post in the other thread to bring back to life. It's need a home for chicken in Bronx..

 

[LiLRedCV]

Organic feeding doesn't necessarily mean protein free or that your flock will end up eating your eggs in the nest! It's just a conscience effort to avoid pesticides and GMO or any other chemically induced products.

While this particular hen may be an egg eater, you can't just blame it on the fact she was organically raised and therefore that's the reason behind it. That's just misinformation all the way around. Even non-organically fed flocks will eat nested eggs! Even those alleged "complete" non-organic feeds like Purina Layena Sunfresh Recipe just has a minimum of 16% protein in their formula.

My gals are organically raised. They get at minimum 16% protein from their organic layer pellets and at minimum 16% from the organic BOSS and probably more than that from free-ranging for bugs and greens on 2-acres of chemical-free pasteur. Let's not forget that any eggs I don't either sell or use for my family get boiled up, crushed, and tossed back out to them.

Absolutely, positively NONE of my organically raised and fed flock go about eating eggs in the nests!!!

 

[EMaker]

Quote:
Of course not, and of course hens with adequate protein may eat eggs, too...however, to feed organic animal protein is expensive, and thus it is less likely that the owner was feeding adequate protein. Perhaps the owner was, and I'm merely offering the best suggestion (and possible cause of the issue) I can find to assist the OP in MANAGING the visiting hen until her owner can take her back home.

 

[stoopid]

I really feel that the reason she has been eating eggs is just because she's so fat and can barely walk, that she just sits in the coop and goes for the easy meal.

 

[al6517]

I don't think we are making assumtions but rather it could be many things, non animal protein Organic feed could be one, as could many other issues the OP may not be aware of because she didn't raise the bird and knows very little about her history. I wouldn't want to overwhelm the OP with so many different options and then leave her recourse from confussion. Yes she is in a bind and we all wish her the best, there are just so many things or none of them that are contributing to egg eating.

 

[chickmashnoon]

I think you should notify him that she is eating your eggs and because of this there will have to be a fee for each egg she eats until he picks her up or gives you the okay to send her to camp kenmore. nice is being nice, but you have to be reasonable that you are now past just "watching" someone's chicken for them, you have to defend your flock from her bad habits and retrain her or break her bad habit that HE didn't take the time to fix.

good luck!