Egg eater

[Farmer Viola]

alright, I need some help because I think I may have to cull this egg eater. I don't know what else to do. I have 2 fake ceramic eggs in each nest box.

I have a black copper Marans who REALLY enjoys eating eggs. She initially ate 2 or 3 that I knew of, but it makes me wonder if it was going on longer than that. I had seen her have weird behavior around the nest boxes, but I thought it was related to being a new egglayer. She's 6mos old. I figured out it was her from the yolk on her beak. She eats the entire shell so there is no evidence, only a small wet spot. she eats most of the yolk too.

I thought it was a calcium deficiency so I separated her right away, and gave her oyster shells AND layer feed. Normally they have grower feed (I have chicks eating in the same feeder) and oyster shell is in it's own separate feeder. She has been separated for a little over a week. she does not eat her own eggs. she will lay them in the box in her separate pen and leave it there for me to collect! she only eats the other hen's eggs.

I hollowed out an egg and filled it with mustard and cayenne pepper. she LOVED it! She ate the whole freaking thing! I filled the egg to the absolute brim with mustard and cayenne, she ate it all like it was yolk and even ate the entire shell. I have heard of using water and dish soap in an egg, is that dangerous for her at all? I am willing to try anything. Although I don't have a good way to seal the egg so water in there might not work.

she is pretty calm, docile, lets me pick her up easily. none of the other hens are THIS gentle. she doesn't seem to be stressed or nervous that I can tell, but she is a little different.

so it has been a week on nothing but layer feed, and oyster shell, and I decided to let her out in the evening today since most had laid their eggs already. WELL one of the marans laid a late egg around 6pm and I heard her, went to gather it about 30min later, nothing but a puddle of eggwhite

I checked all the hen's beaks after today's incident, and I can't see yolk on anyone's face, not even the usual egg eater hen. I am so worried someone else caught on, but it HAS to be her right. I am going to go look at their faces again. I separated the egg eater hen again.

I guess I have to cull her?

 

[luvmypets]

Not neccessarily. Some hens may be laying soft shelled eggs. When they break a hen will see this and think of it as a meal. Once i dropped an egg and a hen ate it like water. Try to see if any of ur eggs have soft shells. GL

 

[Kambrie]

alright, I need some help because I think I may have to cull this egg eater. I don't know what else to do. I have 2 fake ceramic eggs in each nest box.

I have a black copper Marans who REALLY enjoys eating eggs. She initially ate 2 or 3 that I knew of, but it makes me wonder if it was going on longer than that. I had seen her have weird behavior around the nest boxes, but I thought it was related to being a new egglayer. She's 6mos old. I figured out it was her from the yolk on her beak. She eats the entire shell so there is no evidence, only a small wet spot. she eats most of the yolk too.

I thought it was a calcium deficiency so I separated her right away, and gave her oyster shells AND layer feed. Normally they have grower feed (I have chicks eating in the same feeder) and oyster shell is in it's own separate feeder. She has been separated for a little over a week. she does not eat her own eggs. she will lay them in the box in her separate pen and leave it there for me to collect! she only eats the other hen's eggs.

I hollowed out an egg and filled it with mustard and cayenne pepper. she LOVED it! She ate the whole freaking thing! I filled the egg to the absolute brim with mustard and cayenne, she ate it all like it was yolk and even ate the entire shell. I have heard of using water and dish soap in an egg, is that dangerous for her at all? I am willing to try anything. Although I don't have a good way to seal the egg so water in there might not work.

she is pretty calm, docile, lets me pick her up easily. none of the other hens are THIS gentle. she doesn't seem to be stressed or nervous that I can tell, but she is a little different.

so it has been a week on nothing but layer feed, and oyster shell, and I decided to let her out in the evening today since most had laid their eggs already. WELL one of the marans laid a late egg around 6pm and I heard her, went to gather it about 30min later, nothing but a puddle of eggwhite

I checked all the hen's beaks after today's incident, and I can't see yolk on anyone's face, not even the usual egg eater hen. I am so worried someone else caught on, but it HAS to be her right. I am going to go look at their faces again. I separated the egg eater hen again.

I guess I have to cull her?

Why not try vinegar in an egg? She probably won't like that, and I don't think she will like the taste very much.

 

[sumi]

Here are some other methods you can try to break her: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/six-tips-on-breaking-your-egg-eater

Hopefully one of them would help.

 

[Farmer Viola]

Thanks everyone! I could build up the lip of the nest box higher to make the straw deeper I guess, but I do try to keep it pretty deep so it is soft... I also removed all but 1 fake egg. wondering if there was maybe some squishing of eggshells going on. I check for eggs way way too often, most of the time there are no eggs, I hear them lay one, I go get it.

I am working on making some nest box curtains now. just have to find my staple gun...

I made a really nasty egg bomb for her last night, thanks for the vinegar suggestion. I used DIJON mustard this time, vinegar, a little sriracha hot sauce, and dish soap for good measure. Well, she did NOT eat this egg. She pecked it 3 times while I watched her, wiped her beak on the ground repeatedly. then she laid down, and scooted her 2 fake eggs and the 1 egg bomb under her to sleep. (she is sleeping in a cat carrier, not allowed to roost) This morning, the egg bomb was half eaten, half the shell was missing but the rest of it was there and full of the mustard liquid.
SO she tried it again, but she didn't like it, since normally she eats it all and nothing is left!

I think I will make her 1 or 2 more egg bombs for good measure. I do not trust her to go back in the main area yet...

 

[chad-o]

I think these home remedies to cure egg eating are based on old wives tales. Most are based on some kind of hot sauce. As a matter of fact chickens not only eat hot sauce but seem to enjoy it. The solution that works the first time every time is a roll out nest.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221421937094?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649

 

[Farmer Viola]

thanks... we are do it yourselfers, built our own coop etc, and would need to work a roll out nest into our coop design somehow. we would like to build one instead of buy one, also. it is sort of a last resort, but if necessary then we will have to make/get one.

I have made her 3 more egg bombs for good measure, while in her separate pen. she ate the first one, ate half of the next one, and then did not eat the last 2. for 3 I mixed dijon mustard, sriacha, vinegar and dish soap. on the final one, I mixed dish soap and vinegar. she wouldnt even touch it.

I introduced her back to the flock today, after all eggs were laid and collected (even hers). I also put curtains over the nest boxes that part in the center, so I hope that will help with the visual temptation, and I hope the hens will figure out they can still go inside the box with the curtains up. all in all this has taken nearly 2 weeks to correct, but seeing her turn down eggs (with a delicious hole in it, I might add) was very encouraging so I am feeling optimistic

 

[Farmer Viola]

the curtains are... sort of working? 1 BCM hen decided to lay her egg in the sand flooring of the coop, but 2 others laid in the curtained nest box!

welsummer did not appreciate the photo of her private moment and flew out shortly after

un eaten eggs!!!