Broken eggs/ missing head feathers

[Mgosne1]

Over the past week we’ve had a broken egg each day. It has always been one of my buff orpingtons eggs that is smashed. Broken shell remains and other eggs have rolled in the yoke.
One of our buffs is also missing head feathers and we’ve seen another buff pecking at it. Any ideas what’s going on here?

 

[50-45-1]

Well the one thing probably has nothing to do with the other.
How are your egg shells, thick and hard or thin and easily broken?
Do you feed oyster shell?
The one hen with missing feathers on her head...do you have a rooster with these hens?

 

[Mgosne1]

Well the one thing probably has nothing to do with the other.
How are your egg shells, thick and hard or thin and easily broken?
Do you feed oyster shell?
The one hen with missing feathers on her head...do you have a rooster with these hens?

Strong shells on the rest. We feed shells back into their diet. No roosters

 

[arwoon]

Is there thick nest box bedding? Sometimes of mine get low on bedding, when they stepped on the eggs they crack against the surface.
*edited to fix typo

 

[50-45-1]

I recommend you start feeding oyster shell to your flock. Free choice. Its cheap, and lasts a long time. This one hen needs more calcium than the others and crushing back egg shells will eventually not be enough for your flock.
These broken eggs in your nest box will leave a mess every day and may start egg eating on your flock, something very hard to stop once started.

 

[50-45-1]

Depending on the severity of the head injury, it needs to be treated. Chickens can turn cannibal and like to eat meat. The injured girl may need separation to heal then reintroduced once her feathers have grown back. Clean the wound and apply a healing cream like Corona, bagbalm, triple antibiotic or something to keep the wound moisturized and flys off.
If you want to post a picture of the top of her head it may help.

 

[Justso]

1. Ceramic eggs. The offender will peck at it and not be able to break it, and this stops the bad behavior. I have a minimum of one in each nesting box.
2. It could be your chickens need more space in the roost. What's the size of your roost area?