Egg Eating Chickens

[cashdl]

I have a flock of about 50 chickens with 26 babies that are 2 months old. They are penned at night and free range on 10 acres during the day but usually stay withing 2 acres of their house. I feed them in the morning when I let them out and again in the evening before they go to bed.

I have one hen that has 17 babies about 2 months old. She has taught them to eat eggs. Every day for the last week it is a race several times a day to get to the nest boxes before they do. I have gone in there several times and she is waiting with her babies for a hen to lay. I do want to twist everyone of their necks with my bare hands. I am getting only about 6 eggs a day now. She is a great mom but I don't know how to keep her and the babies from eating the eggs.

I have had chickens for years, and have always lost one or two but never soo many each day. I gues I could seperate them from the rest of the chickens but once they start laying, they will probably eat the eggs, so they arn't much good to me.


Anyone know how to get them to stop eating eggs?


Lanae

 

[dappertophatter]

When I read your title, I thought it said Eggs Eating Chickens!

Sorry!

Can you seperate the mom and chicks in cages away from the flock? Perhaps they'll outgrow it without her there. I have also heard of blowing an egg out and filling it with something nasty, like cayenne pepper and mustard, to discourage them.

Good luck! (and my sincere apologies for my bad sense of humor.

)

 

[cashdl]

I am at the point, I would love it if an egg bit back. LOL. The ultimate don't touch me.

I think I will clip the babies wings and put them in a pen. I just gotta make it first. UGH!!!


Lanae