egg eater

[francisfarms]

she got culled, I just really don't think that there is cure for it. They have great diet and get lots of extra, grit etc. I have new chickens that are going to lay, don't worry she was not eaten. She was about 3 years old anyway so her laying time was coming to an end anyway

 

[jhm47]

One thing that is often overlooked with these "egg eaters" is to partially debeak them. I know that some think that it's cruel, but it's an option that allows the hen to live out her normal life, versus the Sunday dinner route.

I have had good success with just taking about 1/3 of the top beak off. I also take a little of the lower beak (just enough that it's blunted off). They will bleed a bit, but if you have a styptic pencil, or other blood stopper, it won't be a problem. Also, the beak is somewhat tender for a few days, and the hen won't want to be pecking on eggs till the beak is fully healed.

I know that some on this board will think this option is cruel, but it works, and the hen is back to normal, less a bad habit in a week. Good luck!

 

[seminolewind]

Day 5 with the golf balls and no eaten eggs yet. ~:>

 

[Sherris Backyard Beauties]

Thats great, the golf balls are working! I broke my hens from eating their eggs by checking every hour on the hour. I even stole them under them while they were wet. It was easy because they have about a minute trance after they lay where they stand there and meditate. It was quite funny when they would look under them for the egg they laid and it was already gone. They would cluck and look and see nothing and cluck and then run out of the hen house like nothing.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
LOL, too funny what we go thru to find out what's going on. I baited the guilty one with an egg, and saw her waiting and waiting, then she saw the egg and went right for it. I put the golf balls in and removed the eggs all day.

 

[Wynette]

Another option that's not been mentioned in this thread thus far: you can blow out an egg & squirt nasty-tasting horseradish mustard in it. That way, you actually 'train' the bird & undo the habit. She'll go ahead & crack it open, only to find the insides taste nasty, and thus will leave them alone after that. It may take several eggs with mustard to break the habit.

This can also happen when they are needing more protein; I throw a handful of dry cat food into the run about once a week to make sure they get enough.

I also recently discovered a brand of layer pellets (Buckeye) that has animal protein right in it; my Purina Layena does not. I asked my feed mill to order me 2 bags of it, and I'm going to discontinue the dry cat food when I get it. Hoping it's good stuff! I swear by Buckeye feed for my horses, so maybe it'll be a worthwhile switch for me.

 

[seminolewind]

I wonder if Chinese mustard would work?