EGG EATING ENTIRE FLOCK!!!!

[BelovedBirds]

I am having this issue now although I really need help as it's been months. I've been in and out of hospice, and over that time my mom handled my chickens and they developed this. I am trying everything, even filling fake eggs with mustard. It is my entire flock and they camp out in the coop, wait until an egg is dropped, and attack. i also added some flock block/treats and additional change of diet for nutrition. Today is my first day, but has anyone been able to win this battle with a whole flock? and such prolonged behavior?
i have ALSO been checking the coop upwards of three times a day. Some of these chickens I've had for five years now... please tell me i don't have to cull and restart. I cannot install roll-out trays in my coop, or can't think of how.

The roll system for the eggs is the best way you can deal with this. It's going to hard for them to unlearn this behaviour. Could they be craving calcium or protein?

 

[Nomadicus]

Are you giving them oyster shell or other calcium supplement?

 

[lexi234]

The roll system for the eggs is the best way you can deal with this. It's going to hard for them to unlearn this behaviour. Could they be craving calcium or protein?

I just added a new feed to their diet yesterday. I am switching them over, and it contains higher levels of both. I've also been adding ADDITIONAL supplements by water since yesterday... I will see if this works, but want to make sure im not missing any bases. I am sad.
I hung up some suet treats to keep them preoccupied and out of the coop too, with mealworms and live earthworms/bugs too. i guess i will wait and see if all of this helps, then resort to the trays.
we also always give them oyster shell and grit.

 

[Nomadicus]

I just added a new feed to their diet yesterday. I am switching them over, and it contains higher levels of both. I've also been adding ADDITIONAL supplements by water since yesterday... I will see if this works, but want to make sure im not missing any bases. I am sad.
I hung up some suet treats to keep them preoccupied and out of the coop too, with mealworms and live earthworms/bugs too. i guess i will wait and see if all of this helps, then resort to the trays.
we also always give them oyster shell and grit.

This is good. It would be very simple to attach a roll out system if you have to go that way. They mount with just 2 screws. It would attach to the 2x6 that runs horizontal below your window frame.

 

[lexi234]

This is good. It would be very simple to attach a roll out system if you have to go that way. They mount with just 2 screws. It would attach to the 2x6 that runs horizontal below your window frame.

thank you! and thank you for your adapt and quick replies! this was very helpful, I just have to go measure now!

 

[Nomadicus]

thank you! and thank you for your adapt and quick replies! this was very helpful, I just have to go measure now!

It's best to not let the hens roost on the perch bar on the roll out box. I don't have to raise mine at night anymore to keep them from perching on them. It helps when the roosts are higher than the perch bar on the next box. Some times they have to be raised at night to keep a hen or two from trying to sleep in the boxes at night. One think I need to add that is not in the instructions with the next box is that you may need to screen out or fence out the underside of the next box if it is to low down. Hens can peck at the eggs if they can reach the bottom of the next box. I've lost a dozen or so eggs that way out of hundreds of dozens so no great loss but it's the habit that I don't want in the flocks.

 

[TwoCrows]

My flock started egg eating years ago because 1 young pullet couldn't put a shell on for the life of her. I installed curtains to make the boxes dark, it stopped others from cruising for eggs...nothing to see here! Hen slips in, lays her egg, it's dim inside, she doesn't bother it, others don't see it either. BUT you must collect eggs often at first and you need ceramic eggs in the boxes as well. They will play with eggs at first and ceramic eggs will teach them that eggs are impenetrable. I use cheap kitchen curtains, with a industrial staple gun, I stapled them to the top, a small slit in the middle for hens to slip into. Took a couple of weeks and egg eating was cured for good. Make sure to collect eggs often.

 

[lexi234]

My flock started egg eating years ago because 1 young pullet couldn't put a shell on for the life of her. I installed curtains to make the boxes dark, it stopped others from cruising for eggs...nothing to see here! Hen slips in, lays her egg, it's dim inside, she doesn't bother it, others don't see it either. BUT you must collect eggs often at first and you need ceramic eggs in the boxes as well. They will play with eggs at first and ceramic eggs will teach them that eggs are impenetrable. I use cheap kitchen curtains, with a industrial staple gun, I stapled them to the top, a small slit in the middle for hens to slip into. Took a couple of weeks and egg eating was cured for good.

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thank you for your input! this is a great idea, and I will try it out!

 

[TwoCrows]

thank you for your input! this is a great idea, and I will try it out!

Great, and keep us posted!!

 

[TwoCrows]

Oh and make sure the slit is apparent at first so they know how to get in. You can push one side of the curtain in the box. After a couple days they will just peck and barge right in with curtains hanging as mine do above.