Do I have a egg eating hen??? (Updated Pg2)

[Teresaann24]

I have a hen who is about 2 years old she just started laying again about 3 weeks ago. I have gotten 4 eggs from her since. I have not gotten eggs from her in the past 2-3 days...but then again she started laying 3 weeks ago but has only laid 4 eggs because of the weather I am guessing..Anyways when I went out to check if everyone had food-water...I noticed some yellow...Yolk looking stuff on and around her head. My first thought is she had eating one of her eggs. Looking through her nesting box and run I didn't see any broken eggs or anything like somthing wet or messy...

Could she possibly be eating her eggs?? If so what could I do to stop it...???

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

One idea is to place a bunch of golf balls/wooden eggs in the nest box..so she may get bored pecking something that doesnt break......or collect the eggs more...I know when my girls were cooped up more over the winter and were bored they started breaking eggs....and I hung a cabbage in the coop to give them something to do....hope that helps...good luck...

 

[MandyH]

I will tell you that if she is eating eggs, you most likely will NOT find ANY evidence. Once they get a taste for them you are best off to get rid of her.

 

[freddy22]

I dont think i would go as far as getting rid of her, but you deff. need to do something...i agree with 2468Chickensrgr8 that you can put golf balls or something in there..im still amazed that i dont have this problem, anytime i walk in there and an egg is cracked i just throw it two them and watch them eat it up. lol

 

[Teresaann24]

this girl has been my best hen...I have left eggs in with her plently of times to get her to go broody...She is my best broody and has never in over the year I have had her touched an egg. She does however have a new..YOUNG jumpy roo in with her...He pecked one egg once and broke the shell but didnt try this on none of the other 3 eggs i got from her.

I'll keep a better eye on them...see if it happens again..

I have heard filling an egg full of mustard??? would this work?

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

Hee hee ! I havnt heard of the mustard one...but it would be very funny to watch their reaction....I think it would be really messy...yellow chickens.....good luck....

 

[the1much]

when you have her in the coop, put her on the floor,, and put an egg on the floor next to her and step back and watch. if she goes for the egg and starts eating it,, yup you have 1,, if she ignores it and doesnt try,, nope.

 

[Teresaann24]

thanks the the1much I am gonna try that but with a plastic egg..LOL will that still work? IF she peaks at it I know she is an egg eater?

 

[the1much]

i dont think it will work in a plastic bag,, she'd be pecking it out of curiosity.,, you can do it with the whole flock in there,, roll the egg to the middle of the room, and watch for the 1 that goes over and breaks it,,, the rest will eat it after, but the 1 that goes for it and actually starts it, is usually the egg eater.

 

[Teresaann24]

Ok thanks for the advice..I'll try this once these storms pass...

If she is an egg eater will I have to cull her???

I'd really hate too...she is one of my best girls........