Egg Eating Flock

[sealer39]

That’s a very nice coop you have. If it were me, and fortunately I’ve never had any egg eaters, I would switch to a higher protein feed like Flock Raiser with oyster shell on the side. Maybe they aren’t getting enough protein with all the other stuff they are being fed. I would also start giving them fermented feed in the mornings. Chicken love it and prefer it over their dry feed. I’d do this hoping they would stuff themselves with the FF and leave the eggs alone. If you switch feeds, mix the new feed with the old feed so the switch is gradual.

In my experience, chickens don’t like to sit on an angle to lay eggs so if you convert to roll-out nest boxes keep the angle as minimal as possible. If you convert to roll-outs keep a lot of bedding in the boxes to start with. The eggs won’t roll out with bedding but the chickens will be less likely to reject the new angled floor. You can then gradually remove the bedding so the eggs will roll out.

But, hopefully the fake eggs will work and you won’t have to do anything else.

 

[Folly's place]

Your coop is very handsome!
I think the coop section is small, but with the roofed run, there's an easy solution. The entire thing is a coop, with the coop door to the run open all the time, and then temporary walls on the windward sides in cold weather. I use rolled plastic sheeting here for winter shelter, and it works fine.
I second the diet recommendation above; an all-flock feed like flock raiser, with separate oyster shell on the side, and fewer extras, at least for now. The 16% protein layer feed is meant as a sole diet for confined laying hens, so adding stuff can be an issue.
Then, see how wooden or ceramic eggs help!
Mary

 

[Mrhein]

I’m not sure about the blend but chickens are not the same age. Some are this years and some last. There are a few three years old and I can’t tell which ones they are. Yes. Dormer is vented for circulation and soffit vents between the coop and run. Nests and storage area are in the bump out so the inside dimensions wall to wall is 8x8.

At what ratios?
Is the layer feed 16% protein?
Are all your birds the same age?

That's a very cool coop!
Is the dormer open for ventilation?
Isolation area under the roosts is, and maybe nests are, taking up some of your 8x8 space. Run is kinda small too.

Egg eating is often due to crowding and/or diet....but can become a habit.

 

[Mrhein]

All good info. I have a small door that is open always to access the run from the coop. I also have some clear plastic corrugated sheeting on the black and side to prevent rain being blown in from wind. They are against the forest in the back of our yard and very protected.
Thank you for the coop compliments. I designed it myself after three years of a small mobile coop with 4-6 hens for research. Then when we knew what was needed we built. We get 13’ of rain a year so we collected water from a gutter and run it to nipples in the run.
I think I’ll try culling my numbers along with other suggestions. I’ll give an update when I find the solution.

Your coop is very handsome!
I think the coop section is small, but with the roofed run, there's an easy solution. The entire thing is a coop, with the coop door to the run open all the time, and then temporary walls on the windward sides in cold weather. I use rolled plastic sheeting here for winter shelter, and it works fine.
I second the diet recommendation above; an all-flock feed like flock raiser, with separate oyster shell on the side, and fewer extras, at least for now. The 16% protein layer feed is meant as a sole diet for confined laying hens, so adding stuff can be an issue.
Then, see how wooden or ceramic eggs help!
Mary

 

[Gab1]

What do you do about egg eating chickens? I put the mustard egg in this morning and they ate the thing eggshell and all. Then while I was standing in the run inspecting them for mustard face, a hen layer an egg from the one of the roosting branches in the run and nearly the whole flock immediately jumped on it. I tried to push them away and the shell was already gone and only a few bits were left. I thought I was dealing with one but apparently it’s many. What do I do?[

 

[Gab1]

I think they're hungry. More protein definitely required. If you're just feeding wheat and they can't free range, they will be starved for protein. So eggs a great solution. Like being in a dinghy at sea with no hope of survival. You eat what's there. Chickens love eggs!!! and love chicken even more. So go carefully. I think you need to look at your feed

 

[Gab1]

Wow run looks way too small for 16 hens, unless you are superfeeding them. They need at least 2 square yards each. I'd reduce my numbers. Sorry Looks way too tight to me.
Who advised you on nos for size of run

 

[Gab1]

I feed them a combination of scratch grains, egge layer protein, pulverized shells, kitchen scraps and garden greens. I also add leaf litter from the yard cleanup and dried worms every now and then.

 

[Gab1]

Nice Run, but way too small for 16 hens. They need 2 yards square each and looks to me like a house for 6 hens not 16. Feed sounds ok, but a little light on protein when they can't free range.

 

[Gab1]

That’s a very nice coop you have. If it were me, and fortunately I’ve never had any egg eaters, I would switch to a higher protein feed like Flock Raiser with oyster shell on the side. Maybe they aren’t getting enough protein with all the other stuff they are being fed. I would also start giving them fermented feed in the mornings. Chicken love it and prefer it over their dry feed. I’d do this hoping they would stuff themselves with the FF and leave the eggs alone. If you switch feeds, mix the new feed with the old feed so the switch is gradual.

In my experience, chickens don’t like to sit on an angle to lay eggs so if you convert to roll-out nest boxes keep the angle as minimal as possible. If you convert to roll-outs keep a lot of bedding in the boxes to start with. The eggs won’t roll out with bedding but the chickens will be less likely to reject the new angled floor. You can then gradually remove the bedding so the eggs will roll out.

But, hopefully the fake eggs will work and you won’t have to do anything else.

Absolutely love this answer. The feed isn't enough protein