Do I have an eggeater?

[LinckHillPoultry]

I have 13 hens (old enough to egglay).
One has been limping for awhile, so I figure she hasn't been laying. I have some that are about 3.
For the maximum amount of eggs I get a day, that is about 11.
I've had days where they only give me 2 or 3, sometimes none.

Do I have an eggeater?
If so, is there a way I can pick it out without having to sit there all day and just stare?

Thanks!

 

[PeeperKeeper]

Hi, It's been awhile since I've had actual laying hens but let me give you some things to look for.
1. Any signs of broken shells or spilt egg content in or around nest?
2. We once had a dog,Beloved and smart, who regularly raided the coop and left no evidence.
3. Check for lice or mites that may be sucking the life out of your hens before they can produce an egg.
4. Check health for coomb color and recheck you feed container for possible fungus growth.
5. What's the weather like? Hot? Too HOT to lay?
6. Is there a possible critter that frequents the coop like oppossum, rat, snake?
I had trouble with some hens eating the eggs once, but they always left cracked pieces of shell or evidence of spilt eggyolk or whites.
Good luck on solving your problem.
Jean:/

 

[arlee453]

I had an egg eater last week. I had 3 different days where if I didn't get out there quick enough, there were broken eggs in the boxes. Lost 4 at least in one day.

I had my suspicions on who was doing the egg eating.

We had chicken nuggets for dinner on Sunday night...yum yum!

I must have been right... haven't had even a peck in an egg since Friday.

For the record, the accused were 3 Dark Cornish hens just at the point of lay. I had been putting off processing them because it's just too dang hot right now.

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Check them for egg yolks. I had a girl that was an egg eatter and she always had egg yolk on her neck.

 

[LinckHillPoultry]

I've gotten eggs covered in yolk.