egg eaters

[jillrhea]

help! I bought black stars and arucaunas late March. I have a few (3) eggs now and then but should be getting a lot. I put light in, lay maker, fresh shavings, new straw for nest box and fake eggs for them to get idea and maybe get snake if any that was getting eggs.
Today one small egg, now thinking I have egg eaters NO! what to do?

 

[Farmer Kitty]

First- How many hens do you have?

Second- Are they molting? They don't lay to well when they are molting.

Third- One thing you can do if you think they are eating the eggs is go collect frequently. I had a couple that thought they would try it and went to collect eggs every 15-20 minutes for a couple of days and that ended it. Thankfully I caught them right away.

Fourth- Search "egg eaters" on BYC. It has been a well discussed topic.

 

[bigzio]

First of all...Welcome to BYC! Lots of help here, with this subject talked about often. The search on top should help alot.

I would increase the protein in their diet by adding black oil sunflower seeds and dry cat food. which are both around 30% protein.

Darken the nests with material over the entrance, then cut a slit for the girls to enter. Egg suckers can't eat eggs they can't see. Hens will enter their nests and improvement in numbers will occur. Good Luck Others will help also.

bigzio

 

[lacyloo]

welcome

 

[jillrhea]

I have 75 hens and 2 roosters nesting area fairly dark but will try darkening. They are not molting at this time. I have started collecting early a week or so ago but no luck not sure now if they are laying they are old enough I would think. thanks for help and will try search.