Eating their eggs...

[RoosterCogburn7]

I determine the culprit if possible, and put them in quarantine. Because with egg eaters, they teach the other birds to do the same. I have one in quarantine now, and my daughter loves the thing like a pet, but seeing she has no eggs, I suspect she is eating her own. She decided against my wishes to name her 'Bethy' and carry her around like a pet. Bethy was destined for dinner as she appears to be a recalcitrant egg eater that won't stop the habit.

 

[MageofMist]

I had a hen who ended up becoming an egg eater after eating the spicy mustard filled egg. The others hated it but I tried everything and only roll away nesting boxes stopped it.

I guess she must have liked the spice. I don't blame her though, I enjoy mustard. I guess you do get hens like that at times, even giving them all the nutrients they need, they still eat the eggs. At my school there was one hen who had to be isolated from the flock after she was caught in the act eating the eggs, the sneaky thing put eggshells on the floor to make us think it was rats.

I also had an egg eating quail once, but she stopped after I started giving her tough greens and whole cherry tomatoes to peck at in order to eat, giving her something else she needed to peck hard to get to other than her eggs. Could possibly work with chickens, maybe tossing some whole tomatoes or small melons in for them to figure out and eat.

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

I guess she must have liked the spice. I don't blame her though, I enjoy mustard. I guess you do get hens like that at times, even giving them all the nutrients they need, they still eat the eggs. At my school there was one hen who had to be isolated from the flock after she was caught in the act eating the eggs, the sneaky thing put eggshells on the floor to make us think it was rats.

I also had an egg eating quail once, but she stopped after I started giving her tough greens and whole cherry tomatoes to peck at in order to eat, giving her something else she needed to peck hard to get to other than her eggs. Could possibly work with chickens, maybe tossing some whole tomatoes or small melons in for them to figure out and eat.

The reason it doesn't work, is the limited taste buds of chickens. In the winter we put some cyan pepper in their feed, and it doesn't bother their tongue, but warms their body a naturally, that eeks out a bit more egg production.

 

[crazychick912]

Don't debeak the hens! Debeaking causes chronic pain sometimes for the rest of the hens life. Fill an egg with hot sauce or use ceramic eggs or golf balls, but don't debeak.

No worries. I would never debeak a chicken!

 

[crazychick912]

You could Use a dummy egg to trick the hens that eat eggs and or
Use blinders, debeak, or cull the egg-eating chicken if you cannot break her of this behavior.

I appreciate you answering me so quickly with my original post. I did as you suggested. I separated her and put a wooden egg in her nest.
She has now joined the others and I've added wooden eggs to their nest also.
Thank you for your advise with Sunshine.