egg breakers

[napahunter]

I got me some egg breakers. Adopted some hens then it happened. Having a he'll of a time finding out who it is. How do you do this?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

One way is to look for egg on their face, dried yolk around the beak. Another way is just quietly observing them, watch for any that routinely look in the nestboxes but don't go in to lay.

It can help to have fake eggs or golf balls in the nest, sometimes it can discourage a pecking hen because she can't break them and gives up. Also make sure the nests are darkened and high enough off the floor to discourage hens looking at eggs. Good bedding can help them from being cracked and checking for eggs often.

I would recommend a higher protein feed, 18-20%, some hens start eating eggs from a protein deficiency. I had trouble once with some sex link hens, they lay so much that they become deficient if they don't get enough protein.

 

[aart]

I'd be looking at why, as well as who.

You 'adopted some hens'.....did you have existing hens?
Integration of new birds most always causes havoc....depending on how you add the new ones to the flock.
Are they crowded? Lack of space can cause problems.

What exactly are you feeding them?
Low protein and/or calcium can cause birds to eat eggs.
Knowing the nutritive value of regular feed as well as any other food/treats they get is important.

 

[napahunter]

They been together for a solid year. The egg breaking started approx 6 months after the adopted ones came in. I do believe it's one of the head chicken doing breaking the week ones eggs. The problem is, as soon as an egg is broke, they mob the broke egg, and eat it all up. So you have all the chickens with egg on their beaks

 

[aart]

They been together for a solid year. The egg breaking started approx 6 months after the adopted ones came in. I do believe it's one of the head chicken doing breaking the week ones eggs. The problem is, as soon as an egg is broke, they mob the broke egg, and eat it all up. So you have all the chickens with egg on their beaks

Did something change when the breaking started?
Feed...space....predator.....?

Roll away nests are the best bet of other things have been eliminated/corrected.

 

[napahunter]

I'll look up this roll away things. Nothing changed with them. I've tried all the tricks, golf balls worked for a while, then they decided to play soccer with them. I find the balls all over the coop.

 

[aart]

I'll look up this roll away things. Nothing changed with them. I've tried all the tricks, golf balls worked for a while, then they decided to play soccer with them. I find the balls all over the coop.

Are your nests at floor level? Nests that are higher might be less likely to encourage browsing.
Do they have high fronts(at least 4") on them? To keep things from being kicked out of nests.

Here's probably the best roll away nest design out there....he'll even send you plans (I think, look at last post on thread)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/287684/new-rollout-nest-design-picture-heavy-edited-1-21

 

[napahunter]

Negative, mine are elevated in the hen house. I'll look into the way his nesting boxes are. I'm revamping the hen house to accommodate more chickens. If some have to be eaten, no biggie. Thank you for your advice, and will use the design of a new nesting box you suggested

 

[LovesAGoodYolk]

I read over all of the responses and no one did what I did. MUSTARD. YES MUSTARD. PLAIN YELLOW.
Blow out an egg or two. Fill with mustard. Put it in the coop where she is certain to find it.
Worked for me.
Let me know how it works out for you, please.

 

[napahunter]

Holy crap I'm laughing my a $$off. I'm down to try it for sure! I'll post results. Thank you