egg eater :(

[Saerasx]

Help! We have an egg eater...and she's our favorite too. Usually they lay in their box but this morning someone an egg on top of their run and there is a clear yolk spot. Next this morning hubby witnessed an egg next to the run and before he could snatch it she ate it! What do I do?? I e looked up different resources but not sure. They get lots of fresh water, oyster shell, and scratch n peck layer...oh and they were hatched approximately April 14th

 

[chicmom]

Here are a few things to try......Make sure the nesting area is very dimly lit. You could even hang a little curtain in front of the nesting boxes, to make it very private and shady. Also, put some golf balls or fake eggs in the nesting boxes. They will peck it and then nothing will happen....You can even blow out an egg (hollow it), and replace the inside with some hot mustard. Some say that works. Adding a distraction in your coop and run is good too. Something for them to peck, like a head of cabbage, or a flock block or something yummy--kale maybe, during the morning hours can give them something else to focus on......

Just sharing a few ideas and I hope it helps!
Sharon

 

[Saerasx]

Thank you for the suggestions! I'll try some of those distractions. I have one of those yellow treat balls that I fill with mealies and I have the green veggie ball cage, but they don't seem to care for it as much. Their box is only out by natural light and I do have a dummy in there. Would it be worth it to put the dummy in one of the locations as the eaten egg?

 

[DaveOmak]

Before she teaches the others to eat eggs, you might consider having her for dinner.....

 

[Saerasx]

I know thats what they say, to cull...but we really cant do that as she is our most favored pullet. Im going to try the blown egg out with hot mustard and using the distractions technique. It doesnt help that this happens BEFORE Im awake, so I will just have to work on getting up earlier too. Im just crushed, two wasted eggs out of three laying pullets of the four that we have.

 

[chicmom]

What about putting up a little curtain in front of the nesting boxes....What you do really, is cut the curtain so it kind of looks like a grass skirt and hang that in front of the boxes....That makes it more private and darker, so the hens just hop right out when they're finished......The fabric needs to be a lighter weight. I think one gal even put plastic up and cut it that way......

 

[Saerasx]

I could definitely do that, Im pretty sure I probably have some good sized scraps around anyway to try. I just crushed up some fresh oyster shell and they went nuts, along with slicing a cucumber lengthwise- like a boat and they are grooving on that too. One of my australorps is in the box now, so Im going to see what happens. I havent found a broken egg in there yet, but then again I have never witnessed them trying to eat one either....

 

[chicmom]

I hope the egg eating stops for you.