broken eggs~hard bottom

[babychickfarmer]

We have 12 chickens all together. 9 pulletsand 3 hens. The hens lay there eggs in the neting box we built but they always dig to the very bottom of itso when they lay the egg it's on a hard surface and it gets broken. I put a layer of sawdust down and a layer of straw but the ladys still dig down the the bottm....what can I do to keep them from doing this all the time?

 

[Poison Ivy]

maybe some sand in bottom of nesting boxes? I have sand and then 7 or 8 inches of coastal hay in my girls nesting box.

 

[millicent]

Ours do that too, but no broken eggs...are the shells weak? maybe they arent getting enough calcium. or maybe they are standing to lay their eggs?!?!?!

 

[justusnak]

How deep is the straw/shaveings? Maybe they feel the need to get "deep" Is there a way to put more in there, my girls like the straw to be pretty deep...like 8 to 12 inches!

 

[JudyMcKinn]

I have wood shavings in my nest boxes, and they always dig down to the wood here, too. And mine usually stand to lay their eggs, also. I would suggest you put out some oyster shell, free choice--not mixed in with their feed-- as they need this to make their shells stronger.

 

[suburbanhomesteader]

Dang!

Nearly everyone to whom I've given eggs has mentioned, "Those are the HARDEST eggs I've ever cracked!"

I don't provide oyster shell, but live on white rock; that must be where they are getting their calcium.

 

[Critter Crazy]

I had the same problem, my girls didnt care how much straw i put in the box, they always dug to the bottom, and cracked the eggs. So went and took a leftover Horse stall mat, cut it inpieces to fit the nest boxes, and tacked it down. no problems since!

 

[allen wranch]

Try putting a rubbermaid shelf lining in the bottom of the nest box. You can take it out and wash it off if it gets soiled, but you may need to anchor it down some way.

 

[silkiechicken]

Mine dig way down into the dirt and lay them on that... are you sure thye are not trying to eat the eggs? I find that is no 1 reason, other than me putting them in my pocket, for eggs to get broken.

 

[babychickfarmer]

I was thinking that maybe they were eating the eggs but wouldn't they eat the yolk and stuff because the other day I went to get the eggs and there wasyolk and stuff on the bottom but o shell so she ate it. I know which hen it was to. It was Maggie. It was because she was all sticky from the chin down her neck