Chickens eating their eggs

[Markt333]

They will definitely eat a broken egg. Its a delicious treat. But, laying from the roost is generally a young hen issue. It could be soft egg shell issue as well. I add crushed citracal to the oyster shell if I have egg laying issues. It contains vitamin d which helps the calcium to absorb.

Thank you! I will try that!

 

[Markt333]

Have you seen this? You know for sure she is laying? Again, how old?
I've had eggs crushed by my muscovy and then the hens eat it, but generally there is shell left over. Egg eaters will eat the whole egg due to nutritional deficiencies.

She is about 13 months old and she is the only one out of my 10 who lays white eggs so I know it's my leghorn "Charlotte". Three days ago I noticed one of her eggs broken on the ground, same the next day in different location then today I saw the girls eating it.

 

[Yardmom]

If the egg is breaking before they eat it they are just doing a natural instinct of eating the egg before it attracts predators. I would say there is nothing that needs to be done to prevent them from eating an already broken egg.
Hopefully your leg horns laying issues will clear up soon.

 

[SamMiller]

Leghorns are little rascals, I swear.

Take a smaller egg, empty it out, and fill it with mustard. Place on ground. They'll be met with a nasty surprise and likely will be a lot more hesitant to try eating more.

 

[Markt333]

Leghorns are little rascals, I swear.

Take a smaller egg, empty it out, and fill it with mustard. Place on ground. They'll be met with a nasty surprise and likely will be a lot more hesitant to try eating more.

Now that sounds like a great solution! Thank you so much!!!

 

[bruceha2000]

I agree with @Yardmom; eating a broken egg isn't a problem, my hens do that as well. Now intentionally breaking eggs so they can eat them ... THAT is a problem.

I have girls who occasionally lay from the roost. I find them in the morning so I assume their laying clock went past bedtime and there wasn't much they could do about it. My roosts are 4' above deep bedding, mostly they do not break. If they did I suspect I wouldn't even know the egg was laid.

 

[Markt333]

If the egg is breaking before they eat it they are just doing a natural instinct of eating the egg before it attracts predators. I would say there is nothing that needs to be done to prevent them from eating an already broken egg.
Hopefully your leg horns laying issues will clear up soon.

Thank you!

 

[Markt333]

I agree with @Yardmom; eating a broken egg isn't a problem, my hens do that as well. Now intentionally breaking eggs so they can eat them ... THAT is a problem.

I have girls who occasionally lay from the roost. I find them in the morning so I assume their laying clock went past bedtime and there wasn't much they could do about it. My roosts are 4' above deep bedding, mostly they do not break. If they did I suspect I wouldn't even know the egg was laid.

Thank you!