Egg Eating Chicken

[DellaMyDarling]

Is there a remedy or should I designate this rotten brat to my soup pot?

Been suspecting her for a while now. Now I know why she was sold to me!

I'm thinking several other daily eggs must be in her belly too, explains much of my productivity drop!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Oh no! I've never had to deal with an egg eater but it's my understanding that the only foolproof method to handle it is to use a roll away nest box where they can't get to the egg after they lay it.
I've also heard that in mild cases you might be able to stop it early by placing fake eggs that she can't break in there, like porcelain eggs and also increase protein in their food in case she's doing it because she needs something from the eggs. Good luck! I'm curious to hear what others recommend as well!

 

[ChickNanny13]

Don't like when someones sells to rid themselves of a problem and not informing the buyer of the issue. Sometimes change of scenery helps "cure" a problem child but knowing helps and is considerate.

How old and what breed?
How may others in your flock?
What are you feeding?

 

[DellaMyDarling]

Don't like when someones sells to rid themselves of a problem and not informing the buyer of the issue. Sometimes change of scenery helps "cure" a problem child but knowing helps and is considerate.

How old and what breed?
How may others in your flock?
What are you feeding?

Absolutely.
Right from the start we had small peck holes, cracks, and a bunch of broken eggs in nest boxes.
Naturally, my other girls will happily gobble an egg that falls and breaks (kids, it happens!) This hen, however, kids kept telling me "she's covered in sticky stuff".
She seems to have a taste for chick feed over the flock pellets. I'm wondering if past owners fed their flock crumbles. Took her weeks to eat pellets. She'll still bully chicks away from a chick feed bowl though.
She's otherwise a mean brat of a hen and I don't like her!


She's just turned 2 years.
We feed a higher protein all flock, 20-22% depending which store I'm at.
There's ample kitchen scraps, BOSS, and now homegrown fodder oats that are put out for them.
They told me she was an Auraucana. I can get pics later.
We are now down to the rooster and 7 hens. They haven't decided to be a flock with the younger chicks yet.

 

[chickens really]

Other factors for egg eating is over crowding, Coop to brightly lit. It definitely can be a protein issue. Too much free range time so the balance in nutrition isn't correct.
I bought a Sebright Hen with known egg eating habits at her original home. She is two. She hasn't eaten one egg here. Her original owner had her and two others in a fairly small breeding pen with one nest box and was brightly lit. Plus she never had been outside to forage ever in her life. Here she has a more natural way of living so maybe if you change a few things her behaviour will change too..

 

[DellaMyDarling]

Hmm. I think the coop has nice lighting, but I could see how maybe their nest boxes are perceived as brightly lit.
Not sure what I can do here, need to think...ugly feed bags made into curtains? (I want the pretty ones...)

I had some 5gal bucket nest boxes I made to place around for when they were free ranging without coop access (not the case now.) Not a single hen will use them. Caught this nasty hen literally stuck inside one covered in egg once. Not sure how people use 5gal buckets lol.

 

[chickens really]

Hmm. I think the coop has nice lighting, but I could see how maybe their nest boxes are perceived as brightly lit.
Not sure what I can do here, need to think...ugly feed bags made into curtains? (I want the pretty ones...)

I had some 5gal bucket nest boxes I made to place around for when they were free ranging without coop access (not the case now.) Not a single hen will use them. Caught this nasty hen literally stuck inside one covered in egg once. Not sure how people use 5gal buckets lol.

For curtains you can go to any thrift shop or buy a shower curtain cover at Walmart and staple it to the top of the nest box. Of course cut into the right size..

 

[aart]

I'd get her out of the coop pronto.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...rates-a-good-tool-for-every-chickeneer.72619/

 

[Chef JimmyJ]

Seems the word Nasty was used a couple of times and " I hate her..." Looks to me like you already know the direction this is going and need some Peer Support...Go For It! Chicken and Dumplings for Sunday Supper...JJ

 

[ChickNanny13]

Agree, you need to separate her before the rest learn the bad habit. Put her in her own cage ... Figure a way so the egg will roll out and she can't get to it or just remove ASAP. Doesn't sound like you'd miss her and you've thought of it, so @Chef JimmyJ may have a point.