Egg eating Chickens, what do I do?

[amber t]

They are Free range.
We raised them with a ceramic egg, so they have every opportunity to peck it.
We tried hot sauce.
We tried paint. Caught and disposed of one hen.
We have added dog and cat food for protein.
We have given them oyster shell.

Now we are trying solitary cages to see who is eating their own egg. Planning on an egg catching system and curtains in the boxes.

I think it is more behavioral than dietary.

What do we try next?

Supper?

 

[brahmabreeder]

You could do roll out nest boxes so they won't even get the chance to eat the eggs.

 

[cdbailey59]

I just dealt with this problem myself within the past 2 weeks. It was so bad that whenever one of the hens went into the coop to lay an egg, there would be a mob crawling over her to get the egg. An old timer at church told me to feed them oyster shell and that would stop them. I bought an oyster shell and coral mix at Tractor Supply. Off hand I can't remember the brand name. I mixed just a small amount in with their food and this did the trick. The problem was immediately solved.

 

[amber t]

I got a small bag, and have put out a handful, last week. Most of it is still there. Did you mix it in with the food, or just through it out for them to find? Maybe I should increase the serving.

 

[captmark]

Isolating the hens is a good idea. Some hens won't break the habit no matter what you try. May be easier to just dispose of the culprit unless she is a one of a kind, to you. then you will have to try and steal the egg before she eats it. Its a p.i.t.a. I had a old hen I thought so much of, I had to resort to literally wait on her to lay and then grab it.

 

[amber t]

looks like the oyster shell and confinment is starting to work, getting about 6 a day now. Gonna keep watching and looking for signs of eaten eggs. May try the dish soap/ food coloring trick to make sure no one is eating them still. I'll keep posting my prgoress, hopefully!! thanks for all the input.

 

[amber t]

Guess that fixed it. getting 8-11 a day out of 11 hens.