Did my hens eat their egg?

[reesadz]

Hi. I have 20 week old Silver Laced Wyandottes, one of whom layed her first egg in the nest box Sunday afternoon. Monday there were no eggs. This morning when I opened up the coop and cleaned out the poop tray. There was slimy yellow (looked like egg) mixed in with the cedar shavings. There was no sign of eggshell anywhere. Is it possible that they layed an egg in the pooptray and cracked it open and ate the shell? IF so, why would they do that after nicely laying in the nest box and what should I do?

Thanks!

 

[Judy]

More likely it got broken accidentally. They will ordinarily eat any egg that gets broken. Just collect as promptly as you can. When I go once a day, I know I'll find the remnants of a broken egg now and then.

 

[jecombs]

It might have been a shell-less egg. A similar thing happened with my hens last week. They are 20 wk old Buff Orps. I found a gooey, eggy mess with a white membrane around it in the chicken run, with no sign of a shell, after the girls had been laying reliably in the coop. The girls promptly ate it... ewww. But I'm pretty sure it was just a shell-less egg. I've read that happens sometimes when they first start laying. And the fact that it was out in the yard and not in the coop makes me think it just kinda slipped out before the hen really knew what was going on.

 

[reesadz]

Thanks for the replies. That makes me feel better. Today the girl I suspect laid the first egg, has been in the nest box for almost 20 minutes or so two times with no egg to show for it. Is it normal for them to do that when they first start laying?

Thanks again!