Egg Eating Problem

[MotherOfChickens]

Ok, other than culling, as that is really not something I want to do, how do you stop a hen who eats eggs?

I have never had an issue with this... until today. One of my hens laid an egg and then ate it.

 

[pwiker]

Once is not a trend. Sometimes when chickens try to pull eggs and push them underneath themselves, they will accidentally break them and once they're broken they will always eat them. You can try putting those fake ceramic eggs in the nesting box and hope that they try to eat them if it becomes a continuous problem.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Once is not a trend. Sometimes when chickens try to pull eggs and push them underneath themselves, they will accidentally break them and once they're broken they will always eat them. You can try putting those fake ceramic eggs in the nesting box and hope that they try to eat them if it becomes a continuous problem.

I sure hope this ends up being an isolated incident!

 

[Folly's place]

I agree. If the egg was cracked or broken, any bird will eat it.
Thin shelled eggs? Diet issues, or older hens, and they crack easily. Make sure there's oyster shell out there free choice, and a balanced diet. If there's a bird laying thin shelled eggs, consider culling. I've got two hens right now who are older, and having thin shelled broken eggs. When I know who they are, they may be leaving.
Mary

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I agree. If the egg was cracked or broken, any bird will eat it.
Thin shelled eggs? Diet issues, or older hens, and they crack easily. Make sure there's oyster shell out there free choice, and a balanced diet. If there's a bird laying thin shelled eggs, consider culling. I've got two hens right now who are older, and having thin shelled broken eggs. When I know who they are, they may be leaving.
Mary

I have a hen laying thin shelled eggs. She will skip laying during the day and then from the roost. Generally that one is broken. She will lay a good egg, then a thin shelled egg. If the thin shelled egg breaks, they will eat it. But, they don't break them on purpose because they leave eggs in the nest all of the time.
I thought it might be the stress of heat lately as far as the irregular laying.
My hens have 20% flock raiser oyster and egg shells on the side with calcium supplements.
I thought I had it narrowed down as to who is doing it because once in awhile when she lays she has a blow out poop in the nest box. The one time I decided it might be the hen with the poopy backside. But, even though I have had to clean a blow out poop from the nest box since then, only the one time did the hen have a dirty backside.
So, how would you figure out who laid the egg?

 

[Folly's place]

That's why I haven't sorted mine out either! Ideally, we need to trap nest to figure it out. I don't have the time or energy to commit to doing it. So, maybe split the flock into groups for a few days each, to get a better feeling for who it is. Or, be out there more, and get lucky.
Mary

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I agree. If the egg was cracked or broken, any bird will eat it.
Thin shelled eggs? Diet issues, or older hens, and they crack easily. Make sure there's oyster shell out there free choice, and a balanced diet. If there's a bird laying thin shelled eggs, consider culling. I've got two hens right now who are older, and having thin shelled broken eggs. When I know who they are, they may be leaving.
Mary

She is only 15 months old. They have oyster shell readily available at all times. And her eggs are not thin shelled. Im wondering though if she needs more protein... Well, I gave them all some scrambled eggs with mealworms and chicken kibble just in case. How often should I give extra protein?

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I am thinking it may be 1 of 3 things or a combo of them. I have 2 nest boxes. 1 is inside the coop and one is an external nesting box outside the coop but inside the run. They all like the external nest box.

With that said, I have 1 girl who literally goes broody about every 5 to 6 weeks. And she refuses to leave the nest box when broody, but I kick her out of it and block it once the others have laid. (Probably broody jail time). Anyway, the others will eventually just climb in there with her and lay.

The one who ate the egg laid in the coop nest box yesterday. Now this isnt new. She has done it before without incident... but for some reason she ate it yesterday.

So I am wondering if 1) she is tired of the broody girl hogging the nest 2) she is lacking protein or 3) The excessive heat ???

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

What feed are they eating?

 

[aart]

but for some reason she ate it yesterday.

Was there any shell left to examine.....and if so, was it thin??
How many birds for those 2 nests?