v077734
In the Brooder
- Jul 30, 2015
- 1
- 0
- 39
We have 6 hens that have been laying anywhere from 3 to 4 to 5 eggs a day and wondering why the shortage of egg laying.
The weather has been perfect, they are free range hens and very healthy birds.
We have fed them corn during the winter and give them their worm treats in the late afternoon, plus veggie/fruits cuts.
They also have organic pellet feed at their disposal.
I purchased these hens as pullets last year in may. They started laying in July, we noticed that one of the red hens, not a road island ate one of the eggs. We immediately got rid of egg remnants, there has not seemed to be a problem until recently.
Today, my husband went to check the hens in the late afternoon and discovered that the same red hen was laying on top of the black hen that was laying.
My husband discovered that the box next to the black laying hen had broken egg bits it, that Red hen had a beak with egg mater on it.
Kelly got rid of the what was remaining of the broken egg remnants and removed the red hen laying on top the black.
Half hour later, we came back to the coop and once again the red hen was on top of the black one laying on four eggs.
We again removed the red hen to another box. She wasn't laying eggs and left the coop.
We believe the black hen was protecting the eggs and we believe the red hen was trying to get the black one to move to feast on another egg which can explain the lack of eggs we collect daily.
We zip tied that Red Hen to identify from others.
I have read that when you have a cannibal chicken, that you might have to put down that chicken?
Is this behavior a pecking order issue where an alpha female is trying to destroy eggs of another competitor hen?
We would appreciate feedback on how to deal before we confirm that we have a cannibal hen on our hands.
Thank you.
The weather has been perfect, they are free range hens and very healthy birds.
We have fed them corn during the winter and give them their worm treats in the late afternoon, plus veggie/fruits cuts.
They also have organic pellet feed at their disposal.
I purchased these hens as pullets last year in may. They started laying in July, we noticed that one of the red hens, not a road island ate one of the eggs. We immediately got rid of egg remnants, there has not seemed to be a problem until recently.
Today, my husband went to check the hens in the late afternoon and discovered that the same red hen was laying on top of the black hen that was laying.
My husband discovered that the box next to the black laying hen had broken egg bits it, that Red hen had a beak with egg mater on it.
Kelly got rid of the what was remaining of the broken egg remnants and removed the red hen laying on top the black.
Half hour later, we came back to the coop and once again the red hen was on top of the black one laying on four eggs.
We again removed the red hen to another box. She wasn't laying eggs and left the coop.
We believe the black hen was protecting the eggs and we believe the red hen was trying to get the black one to move to feast on another egg which can explain the lack of eggs we collect daily.
We zip tied that Red Hen to identify from others.
I have read that when you have a cannibal chicken, that you might have to put down that chicken?
Is this behavior a pecking order issue where an alpha female is trying to destroy eggs of another competitor hen?
We would appreciate feedback on how to deal before we confirm that we have a cannibal hen on our hands.
Thank you.
