Dumb cluck keeps cracking her eggs, ideas?

[bel]

Kazooie, a speckled sussex is our only hen laying and she is breaking just about every egg.

What is happening is she kicks / scratches every bit of bedding out of the nest box and when the eggs hit the hard wood floor they crack. The shells are thick, its alwary a spiderweb shaped crack at the tip of the pointy end. Wood chips and straw wont work, I put a towel in and she kicked that out too.

Is there something safe for chickens I can glue down in there for cushion? She seems stubborn about using that nest box in that spot.
Thanks,
bel

 

[Judy]

Lots of people use that rubbery soft shelf liner or scraps of carpeting.

 

[bel]

Thanks I will give them a try, might have some foam liner around here somwhere.

 

[al6517]

She may be pecking it to try and get into it. just a thought.

AL

 

[Schrebergaertner]

We had the same problem and found an easy fix--a piece of cardboard cut to match the size of the floor of the box. Just soft enough to keep them from cracking when they shoot out.

 

[bel]

Pretty sure its not pecking, it was on an egg I watched her lay. Its not a hole just a spiderweb shaped crack always the exact same spot, I think if it was a peck she would have broken it open, she is a big girl and can peck hard.

 

[mrsengeseth]

I'd lay the rubbery stuff down first then the cardboard on top of that. cut the cardboard to fit tight in the space. And still put shavings in it for her to scratch out if she wants.

the carpeting is a good idea, but could give a safe harbor to fleas or mites. You would have to do something to mitigate that.

 

[bel]

Quote:
that sounds good too, thanks I definately have cardboard.