egg eater

[rcc50]

I have a chicken eating the eggs and I was wanting to know how I can tell which one it is ?

 

[Acre4Me]

Usually leftover yolk on beak is the best identifier. You could put in a camera to catch them that way. However, we’ve had luck with using several fake eggs in each nest so that they are not rewarded with a yummy treat when they try to peck open an egg. Also collecting the real eggs so they have less opportunity to eat an egg.

 

[Boonie Stomper]

You might try injecting an egg with food coloring dye and see who gets caught red-beaked (or blue or green)

 

[aart]

I have a chicken eating the eggs and I was wanting to know how I can tell which one it is ?

What evidence do you have that eggs are being eaten?
Nasty mess in a nest?
Any shell remaining...if so, was it thick and hard or thin and weak?

Egg on a beak might tell the tale, or several might have indulged in the treat.
But if a bird is breaking hard shelled eggs, you might have to catch them in the act.

 

[rcc50]

Usually leftover yolk on beak is the best identifier. You could put in a camera to catch them that way. However, we’ve had luck with using several fake eggs in each nest so that they are not rewarded with a yummy treat when they try to peck open an egg. Also collecting the real eggs so they have less opportunity to eat an egg.

Thank you very much for the info !!

 

[rcc50]

What evidence do you have that eggs are being eaten?
Nasty mess in a nest?
Any shell remaining...if so, was it thick and hard or thin and weak?

Egg on a beak might tell the tale, or several might have indulged in the treat.
But if a bird is breaking hard shelled eggs, you might have to catch them in the act.

Thank you, shell remains in the nest,they were hard shelled

 

[Acre4Me]

Good luck! We’ve had egg-eaters, but before it became a huge problem, we bought a dozen and a half of wooden fake eggs (painted). Each nest gets 3-5 fake eggs. By heading it off in the beginning, we seem to have had success in curtailing the habit. Sometimes, though, an egg gets accidentally broken and then they eat it, which is often followed by another egg or two eaten. So, we pile more fake eggs into the nest where the eating occurred, and collect a couple more times a day for a few days. This has been enough to keep it from becoming a real problem.

 

[aart]

Thank you, shell remains in the nest,they were hard shelled

Bummer!
How long has this been going on?
Oh...and @Acre4Me has typed up everything I was going to say

Might look at their diet too....protein levels.
Feeding some animal protein might curb the egg eating....especially if they are not eating the entire shell(which could be a calcium deficiency.

 

[WhyDoILikeChickens]

I'm currently dealing with this. Thanks for the tips. I know who the culprit is, my old orpington. I caught her pecking at a shell. I thought maybe it cracked but today I am short 2 or 3 eggs. We have had to work through this habit several times before. I'll try fake eggs. After that i eat her. I do not want her teaching this to my pullets.