Chicken running to coop and pecking eggs before the eggs can be collected

[Kingbobkingdom]

Hi! A friend had this problem with a chicken: the chicken isn’t broody - she’s not sitting on the eggs. She’s more like, “If I can’t keep my eggs, you’re not getting them!” She comes running to the nest box anytime she sees us walking up to the coop (so if she’s outside, she comes racing in), and then she starts pecking at the eggs to destroy them before we can get them! We've been trying to close the door to the hen house first so she can’t get in, but sometimes she beats us there.

Any ideas to prevent her from getting to the eggs, and why she is doing this?
Thanks!

 

[FunClucks]

Hi! A friend had this problem with a chicken: the chicken isn’t broody - she’s not sitting on the eggs. She’s more like, “If I can’t keep my eggs, you’re not getting them!” She comes running to the nest box anytime she sees us walking up to the coop (so if she’s outside, she comes racing in), and then she starts pecking at the eggs to destroy them before we can get them! We've been trying to close the door to the hen house first so she can’t get in, but sometimes she beats us there.

Any ideas to prevent her from getting to the eggs, and why she is doing this?
Thanks!

Sounds like you have an egg eater, and your presence reminds her that there are eggs to eat. Several options: Use rolling nest boxes so the eggs roll away from the hen where the chickens can't reach them just as soon as they're laid. Put fake ceramic eggs in the nest boxes and collect the eggs constantly all day, so she tries to eat, can't, and then eventually gives up. Put real eggs filled with mustard or dish soap out so she tries to eat, gets a yucky substance, and gives it up. Pen the chicken by herself but in sight of the flock where she can never get to anyone else's eggs (you don't want her teaching others to do it either). Rehome her to another flock that might have a different setup and might kick her out of the habit. Send her to freezer camp. It all depends on what you're willing to tolerate and how much you want to keep this chicken.

 

[Kingbobkingdom]

Sounds like you have an egg eater, and your presence reminds her that there are eggs to eat. Several options: Use rolling nest boxes so the eggs roll away from the hen where the chickens can't reach them just as soon as they're laid. Put fake ceramic eggs in the nest boxes and collect the eggs constantly all day, so she tries to eat, can't, and then eventually gives up. Put real eggs filled with mustard or dish soap out so she tries to eat, gets a yucky substance, and gives it up. Pen the chicken by herself but in sight of the flock where she can never get to anyone else's eggs (you don't want her teaching others to do it either). Rehome her to another flock that might have a different setup and might kick her out of the habit. Send her to freezer camp. It all depends on what you're willing to tolerate and how much you want to keep this chicken.

Do you mind if I quote your words and send them to my friend?

 

[FunClucks]

Do you mind if I quote your words and send them to my friend?

Have at it! Better solve it soon, or other chickens will pick up the bad behavior- it can be very hard to break. Sometimes you can try all the things and nothing works, depends on the chicken. Good luck!