Egg eaters

[Smalley]

So this is my first post on BYC, but definitely not my first visit! (I've been stalking this site for years now

) I looove chickens and desperately want some! I get all my chicken-loving done at a farm that I work at, but its just not the same. And now, after years of trying to convince my parents that we should get chickens, I think I've finally cracked them.
But that's not what this post is about. Recently my mom's friend was complaining that her chickens weren't laying eggs. I suggested that maybe they were eating their eggs, and she and her husband apparently refused to believe the idea. Now my mom told me her friend caught the chickens in the act of eating their eggs!

I'm obviously very pleased that my daily scan of BYC has helped me with all this chicken info, haha.
Does anyone have tips I can give on how to stop the habit? (Other than eating the hens, because I doubt that's an option.) Thanks!

 

[CMV]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=1463000

At post #9 Opa shows some pics of his roll away nesting boxes. I believe he will also give out plans should your mother's friend want some. This is the only tried and true method of dealing with this behavior short of culling the offenders. There are some other things she could try, but they are not often very successful- wooden/ceramic/plaster eggs, hollowed out eggs filled with mustard, more frequent egg collection, etc.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

ETA-

 

[JLS]

I cured my egg eater by placing a lot of golf balls in each nest. Believe it or not the hens dont seem to realize that they are not real eggs. When the offender tries to eat a golf ball it will be very uncomfortable. I left the golf balls in for a week or so. The I took them out. If the problem occures again simply return the golf balls to the nest boxes for a couple more weeks. I have not had a problem since with egg eating. I wish them the best. And good observation on your part

BYC has helped me soo many times when I had questions! Glad you joined us!!

 

[bjw113]

We have built the roll away egg box. It is working great. We have 22 hens now and are getting 12-14 eggs a day now (my Buff's don't lay every day). THIS BOX IS GREAT! My husband is pretty crafty and looked at the rollaway egg box that the one link recommends and built it. Really works like a charm. The astro-turf on the bottom on the boxes can be purchased on FarmTek and Meyer Hatchery also sells them. I tried the mustard eggs, ceramic eggs, plastic eggs, golf balls. Nothing worked, but the BOX does. It took a few days for the hens to get used to the astroturf liner but now they happily lay their eggs there! WISH YOU BEST of luck!

 

[Smalley]

Thanks guys! I'll let them know. The roll-away nest boxes look pretty cool

Though the golfballs sound easier... I don't know how much effort these guys want to put into this!