Eating their own eggs!?!

[RobN72]

My chicken laid her first egg today. I found it and took it inside. When I came back there was shell on the floor and yolk everywhere. She ate her egg! I don’t know why or how to stop this. I then showed them an egg and she jumped up and bit it. I have three chickens her and her sister is the only one who does this. Roxy my eldest is broody at the moment and has never eaten her egg. What should I do? Please help!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Often the first egg is eaten when it breaks accidentally.
They sometimes teach the entire flock how delicious eggs are.
The best ways to stop them are to either use rollout nests or fill the nests with fake wooden or ceramic eggs. Then when they try to break one and fail,, they'll stop.
Also make sure their nutrition demands are met which may be a reason they continue.
Sufficient levels of essential amino acids and plenty of hydration help a lot.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I never "show" my chickens their eggs, because the gesture of lowering and opening up my hand makes them think there could be a treat, and jumping up and pecking can lead to a broken egg.

Not saying that's exactly what happened here, but it's a possibility they're confused by the way you're showing them the egg. Best to just take it and make breakfast!

 

[RobN72]

Ok thanks

 

[Broxi]

I just found out why I wasn't getting many eggs in the last two weeks. I saw the flock running around snatching food from each other in the run, so I went to investigate. Sure enough it was a part of the shell from an egg. I'm implementing a couple strategies. First I set my auto chicken door to open earlier from 11:30 to 7:30 (to give them something else to do), set a schedule for the people in my household to go and collect eggs throughout the day( to keep down temptation ), and placed fake eggs in the nests they like to use the most. I'm hoping that will solve the problem.

 

[RobN72]

Ok thanks for the help