Egg eating! help!

[Lovemylilcluckers]

I got my first chicken egg on July 8th and have now had 1-4 eggs everyday since! Woohoo! Except... last week I noticed my Buff Orpington running out of the coop like a mad man with a cracked egg in her mouth and all the other chickens chasing her.

I have had a couple (2) shell-less eggs within the first week. I had to remove the shell-less egg but they have been whole still. After that I was a little suspicious of "wet spots" in the coop bedding and it's now been confirmed. The wet spots are where the chickens are pecking at the eggs and eating everything including the shell.

Today my Wyandotte and my Brahma were in the nesting boxes and all the other chickens were gathering around and trying to fit into the nesting boxes. I believe to try to get the eggs. I have 3 boxes for 6 chickens which is more than plenty-correct?

Today I went and bought Oyster Shells incase it's a nutrient deficiency and also bought porcelain eggs. I placed one porcelain egg inside one of the nesting box and placed another one in the "chicken tractor" since that's where they are today since it's supposed to be close to 100 degree's and I can move it to the shade. ALL 6 of them immediately went to peck at the porcelain egg for at least 5-10 minutes.

HELP! What can I do?! I go back to work shortly and will not be able to check on the egg situation as much as what I am right now.

 

[JudysMuscovy]

I had that problem also and the ceramic eggs helped. Hope it works for you also

 

[Honeybee22]

I'm very interested in this. I'm about to have 3 of my chickens start laying soon. I thought I read that could happen because of a calcium deficiency?? Maybe it's just that the eggs were something new to them. They got curious and someone pecked it, it broke, and they discovered that there was something yummy inside.
I'm very eager to hear what the pros' have to say about this.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

I got my first chicken egg on July 8th and have now had 1-4 eggs everyday since! Woohoo! Except... last week I noticed my Buff Orpington running out of the coop like a mad man with a cracked egg in her mouth and all the other chickens chasing her.

I have had a couple (2) shell-less eggs within the first week. I had to remove the shell-less egg but they have been whole still. After that I was a little suspicious of "wet spots" in the coop bedding and it's now been confirmed. The wet spots are where the chickens are pecking at the eggs and eating everything including the shell.

Today my Wyandotte and my Brahma were in the nesting boxes and all the other chickens were gathering around and trying to fit into the nesting boxes. I believe to try to get the eggs. I have 3 boxes for 6 chickens which is more than plenty-correct?

Today I went and bought Oyster Shells incase it's a nutrient deficiency and also bought porcelain eggs. I placed one porcelain egg inside one of the nesting box and placed another one in the "chicken tractor" since that's where they are today since it's supposed to be close to 100 degree's and I can move it to the shade. ALL 6 of them immediately went to peck at the porcelain egg for at least 5-10 minutes.

HELP! What can I do?! I go back to work shortly and will not be able to check on the egg situation as much as what I am right now.

What type of feed/feeds are they being fed and what protein %? This sounds like a nutritional deficiency. I feed raw eggs to my girls. If I drop one and it doesn't break...they wouldn't even waste time looking at it.

If the egg shell is not strong and it happens to break/crack when laid or stepped on by a chicken in the nest...the hens will eat it being opportunists. But they shouldn't be pecking at a fake egg for that long.

 

[aldarita]

It looks to me you are doing the right things by getting ceramic eggs and adding oyster shells to their diet so the egg shells will be stronger, how much protein is there in their feed? and are you giving them too many treats that dilutes their total amount of protein they are eating from their feed ? If you are giving them layer feed that normally has 16% protein, you need to add more in the way of animal protein like meal worms. Also it appears that they are already in the habit of breaking the eggs to eat since they wait for the eggs to be laid. At this point I believe your best option is to get roll-away nesting boxes. There are several designs all over the internet and you can also buy them already made.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/retraining-an-egg-eater.1188063/#post-18766360

Take a look at this link to give you ideas.

Good luck!

 

[Kealey]

We had the same problem with ours a while back. We gave them oyster shells and if we were able to figure out the culprit we separated them from the rest of the flock until they were able to break the habit. I would definitely offer your flock a side of oyster shells mixed with a little grit to help aid in the digestion of those oyster shells. Haven't had the problem occur again yet.

 

[aart]

Good questions and suggestions.

What type of feed/feeds are they being fed and what protein %? This sounds like a nutritional deficiency.

and are you giving them too many treats that dilutes their total amount of protein they are eating from their feed ? If you are giving them layer feed that normally has 16% protein, you need to add more in the way of animal protein like meal worms.

Other animal protein could be employed also like meat scraps and scrambled eggs.

 

[Lovemylilcluckers]

Good questions and suggestions.





Other animal protein could be employed also like meat scraps and scrambled eggs.

I've been feeding them Dumor Laying Chicken feed (16% protein)-but I have been giving them a lot of scraps/veggies from the garden. I have even been letting them in the chicken tractor throughout the day to graze on grass. I could try to up the protein as well and see if that helps! Thanks!

 

[aart]

I've been feeding them Dumor Laying Chicken feed (16% protein)-but I have been giving them a lot of scraps/veggies from the garden. I have even been letting them in the chicken tractor throughout the day to graze on grass. I could try to up the protein as well and see if that helps! Thanks!

Or just cut out the extras for a week or two...unless it's animal protein treats.