- Jun 20, 2011
- 7
- 0
- 7
I have 6 Buff Orpingtons. They have 3 nesting boxes, although mostly they use two. Their nesting boxes aren't near the ground. The nesting boxes have a couple inches of fresh pine chips in them. The house has two small windows for ventilation, they are high up and it isn't very bright in there. They are fed layer hen food. Our well water has a very high calcium content and their egg shells are very, very thick. They have plenty of room in their run, they actually have three different runs. I don't believe parasites are an issue. I put Diatomaceous earth in the nesting boxes and on the floor as well as around the run and a little in their food, per what I've read online. They have an area where they do dust bathes. I've never seen worms in the poo.
All of the things I list above are things people say will make the chickens eat eggs if they are not properly taken care of. We give them a small amount of oats or green vegatables, I don't give them scraps. I have given them some berries and plums lately, as I'm canning but not huge amounts.
I've only found 4 broke eggs in about two months and today was the first time I caught the hen doing it. She had pulled it out of the box across the floor. Another hen was laying and when she got up, she also started eating it. I cleaned it up and they were not happy about that, of course. It isn't happening regularly but I don't think they are getting cracked by accident. There was only one egg in that box, each time I have found eggs ate. As I said the shells are really thick. I haven't fed them oyster shells because I didn't think I need them with so much calcium, already.
Can anyone think of another reason? I just did as suggested on another post and put a egg out there with mustard, cheyenne and some tobasco (tobasco wasn't mentioned in the other post) but if this doesn't work, do I get rid of the hen that I know was probably the one who cracked the egg? Her feet and beak were covered in yolk. I don't want it to become a habit and if the other hens start tasting it (if they haven't already) then will they start breaking the eggs open?
Also on a different note. I'm confused about what I read about feeding them. I read some people say that you should give them plenty of greens and such but others say give they only a small treat, besides the layer food or you mess up the balance provided by the layer food. I have plenty of stuff from my garden this time of year, but I'm not sure if I should let them have much of it. Will it mess up the egg production or do I just supplement with oyster shells? Of course this time of year they are also finding bugs, grasshoppers, etc......
Thanks,
Renee
All of the things I list above are things people say will make the chickens eat eggs if they are not properly taken care of. We give them a small amount of oats or green vegatables, I don't give them scraps. I have given them some berries and plums lately, as I'm canning but not huge amounts.
I've only found 4 broke eggs in about two months and today was the first time I caught the hen doing it. She had pulled it out of the box across the floor. Another hen was laying and when she got up, she also started eating it. I cleaned it up and they were not happy about that, of course. It isn't happening regularly but I don't think they are getting cracked by accident. There was only one egg in that box, each time I have found eggs ate. As I said the shells are really thick. I haven't fed them oyster shells because I didn't think I need them with so much calcium, already.
Can anyone think of another reason? I just did as suggested on another post and put a egg out there with mustard, cheyenne and some tobasco (tobasco wasn't mentioned in the other post) but if this doesn't work, do I get rid of the hen that I know was probably the one who cracked the egg? Her feet and beak were covered in yolk. I don't want it to become a habit and if the other hens start tasting it (if they haven't already) then will they start breaking the eggs open?
Also on a different note. I'm confused about what I read about feeding them. I read some people say that you should give them plenty of greens and such but others say give they only a small treat, besides the layer food or you mess up the balance provided by the layer food. I have plenty of stuff from my garden this time of year, but I'm not sure if I should let them have much of it. Will it mess up the egg production or do I just supplement with oyster shells? Of course this time of year they are also finding bugs, grasshoppers, etc......
Thanks,
Renee
