Cracked Eggs

[Randy17]

Hi All !! Its been awhile since I have been here and since the last time I have been here my 8 Red sex Links are laying around 6 or 7 eggs a day. My problem is that when a few of the hens lay their eggs the egg hits the bottom of the nest box so hard the egg gets a crack in it. I try to keep wood shaveings in the boxes but they scratching them out. What can I do to make a softer landing???

Randy

 

[chickenwoods]

They're just cracking from hitting the bottom of the nest box??,sounds like you need to start giving them oyster shell to make thier shells harder.

I feed mine oyster shell,my hens like to layer their eggs in a big bowl of hay with the hard wood bottom of the box at the bottom of thier nest lol..mine dont crack anymore after adding OS,to thier diet.

Some of my customers tell me they have to break out the hammer to open my eggs... lol (exageration)

 

[mdbucks]

I would put bigger board(assuming you have a board) on front so they can not scratch alll the shavings out.

 

[Randy17]

I mix OS with Layer Feed for all my chickens. I also have a 1 X 1
piece of wood in front of the opening of all of the nest boxes and they still scratch out almost all of the wood shaveings. I got 8 eggs today and none of them were cracked. Hope it stays that way!!!

Randy

 

[Georgetown]

Mine are getting cracked lately too...I know this is a very old post but has anyone put anything on the bottom of the besting boxes for extra cusion?

Thanks

 

[WoodlandWoman]

You could put a layer of artificial grass on the bottom. You could still put shavings, hay or straw over it. If it gets dirty, just hose it off.

Eggs also crack if they freeze during the winter.