Egg eater has flown the coop!

[LoneLayer]

New member from Chick-ago suburbs! We have 4 happy layers about a year old! We gave our Austrolorpe away last week because she was eating eggs! She is now managed by a rooster at the 'generals' house and I understand she is cured. We are happy with the 4 and hope they didn't pick up her bad habit, but found a cracked egg this morning!

 

[TwoCrows]

Sorry about the egg eater. There are a few ways you can stop this habit....start by always collecting the eggs so that they are not around to get broken into. Next, always keep a fake egg in every box. Not golf balls as the chickens know these aren't real. But use wooden, ceramic or clay eggs. What happens is, the birds will make their rounds to check the eggs and eventually realize that eggs cannot be gotten into with the fake eggs. But make sure you aren't leaving the real ones around long. Next, add curtains. Hang some material over the boxes and tack at the top. From the bottom, cut slits up from the bottom to the top and let these strips hang down. You can pull up one of these strips at first so they know how to get into the boxes. But later you can put this strip down. They won't mess with the eggs in the darkened boxes and won't be able to see them by simply walking past the boxes. These tips have worked well on my egg eaters.

Make sure they are all on a good layer feed with plenty of protein and always keep the oyster shell near the food and water. Hens won't go looking for it, but will eat all they need if it is in their faces. And keep the treats and free ranging down to a minimum, especially during this time of less daylight and time to eat. They need to get as much calcium as they can to make those hard egg shells.

Good luck with your new flock and welcome to BYC!

 

[TINCHER]

Welcome! I have australorps, too... they're too young to tell if they're going to eat their eggs tho lol

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Egg eaters are a real nuisance, TwoCrows gave you some good ideas for dealing with them, if they are being really stubborn, pinless peepers and roll-away nests are other options if they continue to do it. Also make sure there is plenty of soft nesting material in the nests so the eggs don't crack when the hens lay or step on them. Hopefully it was just a fluke cracked egg and your other girls didn't pick up the habit from the other hen, there is also a nice article in the Learning Center on breaking egg eaters. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/six-tips-on-breaking-your-egg-eater

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan

I would recommend ceramic eggs, they apparently are not very fun to peck. Sometimes an egg will crack when layed as the hens stands up while actually laying the egg.

 

[drumstick diva]

Some goofy birds even lay eggs while on the roost, of course it hits the ground and breaks. Then they investigate and find out the contents are yummy. A new egg eater is born... Or a new layer may have shelless eggs and discover that's good too.

I don't think any are born to be egg eaters, it's just that opportunity knocks and they take advantage. So if you do your best to prevent the situation - pick up eggs frequently, make sure the girls have layer mix, and oyster shell in a separate container. If they need it, they will eat it. Follow 2Crows advice.

 

[gander007]