Chickens eating eggs

[Isaac13579]

I am new at raising chickens, 15 weeks ago I bought 4 hens and a few days ago I found my first egg. It was lying on the ground outside the coop and broken. Today I was watching the chickens and one was walking and laid an egg. All the other chickens ran over and ate the eggs within seconds. They have clean food and water, I’ve been giving them laying feed, grit, and oyster shells. Is there anything I can do to get them to use their nesting box and stop eating their eggs?

 

[hysop]

Did the egg crack or did they crack it and eat it?

You will have to break that or they will always eat eggs or so I hear.

Add a fake ceramic egg to the nesting boxes so they learn that’s where they need to be laying

 

[Isaac13579]

She laid the egg on rocks so it broke when she laid it. How would I break the habit if they eat it within seconds?

 

[hysop]

Well since it cracked by itself I wouldn’t worry just yet. But do keep an eye on it. But do try to get them to lay in their nest boxes so there aren’t anymore cracked eggs.