Broken eggs

[jaygunther]

I have about 20 chickens. I'm getting one or two broken eggs almost every day. What is causing this?

 

[CoopintheWoods]

If you do not have enough nest boxes (or if they all use a "favorite box"), eggs may get stepped on by the hens. If it happens too often, maybe you can try collecting eggs more often.

 

[pennyJo1960]

how often are collecting eggs? are they all in one or two boxes?
Hello from Mossyrock, Washington state here

 

[jaygunther]

how often are collecting eggs? are they all in one or two boxes?
Hello from Mossyrock, Washington state here

I have six boxes. I collect them every evening.

 

[jaygunther]

If you do not have enough nest boxes (or if they all use a "favorite box"), eggs may get stepped on by the hens. If it happens too often, maybe you can try collecting eggs more often.

Yeah, I have six boxes, but they all tend to use the same two.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Yeah, I have six boxes, but they all tend to use the same two.

You have to many nesting for the number of boxes so a few get broke if you could collect eggs say twice a day it would resolve itself more than likely

 

[Coykoi]

Has anyone seen a lead hen break other hen's eggs? I have 5 hens, two a year old, and 3 hatched in April. Someone has been breaking eggs, but I'm yet to figure out which is the guilty party. They've got plenty of nest boxes, but of course they all want to use the same one. When I'm home I collect several times a day. Saturday I collected after the three younger laid (I watched them queue up to get their turn in the favored box), and went back out later to find a pecked egg waiting me. The culprit pecks a dollar coin sized hole, but doesn't eat the contents. I had this problem since before the youngsters were here, so I'm looking hard at the older two. I saw the 2nd in charge hen on the nest, but didn't witness her laying or her behavior. I'm wondering if the top hen is doing this to increase her chances to produce any chicks. If I remove the broken egg everyone wants to eat the contents, but I try to avoid giving them a taste. I'll fill up the empty shell with mustard, and they do have free choice oyster she'll. It doesn't happen every day, but enough to be mighty frustrating.