Egg Eater :-(

[FarmerJessie]

Hello,

I have a hen who has just started eating the eggs of other chickens. I have heard this is a very hard habit to break if you can at all? I am prepared to butcher her, but hate to because she is a very nice hen. I would like to hear any suggestions or ideas if you have any!

Thank you!

 

[Lchix27]

I have heard that if you hollow out some eggs by poking a hole in each end and blowing the contents out and then fill the eggs with mustard, the next time she eats one she will hate the taste of mustard and stop eating them! I think that would be worth a try!

 

[BunkyB]

First take her away from the other birds nests and separate her. Hopefully the idea did not spread to the rest of the girls yet. You will have to be a little more persistant and collect the eggs a couple more times a day to hopefully slow it down and hopefully stop the egg eating.Frequency of collection is a must.

If you separate her from the rest for a couple of weeks, go to a craft store and buy wooden or ceramic eggs and put them in her nesting box in seclusion. If you are fortunate enough she will stop trying to break the unbreakable eggs and feel it's a waste of time trying once she is let out again.
At the same time she is separated, if you go that route, make sure there are no other egg eaters...hopefully not. Check the nesting boxes for evidence of eaten eggs such as shells, wet spots, etc. If it is only one nesting box being hit all the time it may help to put the craft store eggs in it and keep a watchful eye out for others doing the same. Yes, it is no fun when they develope this habit and most times it can be stopped. Best of luck, Steve