Egg eating: what it is, how to prevent it, and partial solutions to try.

[ChickenLover200]

If you're anything like me you have at least 2-4 egg-eating hens. My hens are like pets though so the last thing i would want to do is cull them.
Go to this link to see what i did to solve my egg-eating hen problem:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/egg-eating-what-it-is-how-to-prevent-it-and-partial-solutions

 

[Sally Sunshine]

If you're anything like me you have at least 2-4 egg-eating hens. My hens are like pets though so the last thing i would want to do is cull them.
Go to this link to see what i did to solve my egg-eating hen problem:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/egg-eating-what-it-is-how-to-prevent-it-and-partial-solutions

Thank you so much, mustard didnt work for us either! we ended up purchasing ceramic eggs, FINALLY did the job all around!
Thanks again for sharing!

 

[leeallen]

Is this normal?

 

[ChickenLover200]

Is this normal?

Egg eating?
Hens/chickens shouldnt eat their eggs. That is why we try to prevent and if that is not possible, we try to find a solution/cure to the problem.

 

[BlueTannery]

Egg eating?
Hens/chickens shouldnt eat their eggs. That is why we try to prevent and if that is not possible, we try to find a solution/cure to the problem.

I'm not 100% sure on this, but this is what I understand:

Chickens, hens and roosters alike, generally shouldn't eat their own eggs. It's detrimental to whoever's collecting the eggs, it causes strife between chickens, and is really weird in general.

Most of the time, the first egg is broken in the nest by mistake. Maybe the hen is heavier than most others, or the egg rolls out and breaks. Either way, the hen decides to try it and it, being a delicious egg (even in its raw form), is liked by the hen. She'll continue to break and eat eggs, because, if you routinely pooped out eggs, wouldn't you?

The thread itself contains information on how to prevent it. Luckily, I haven't had this issue with my seven hens and hopefully I never will.

 

[ChickenLover200]

Egg eating?

Hens/chickens shouldnt eat their eggs. That is why we try to prevent and if that is not possible, we try to find a solution/cure to the problem.

I'm not 100% sure on this, but this is what I understand:


Chickens, hens and roosters alike, generally shouldn't eat their own eggs. It's detrimental to whoever's collecting the eggs, it causes strife between chickens, and is really weird in general.

Most of the time, the first egg is broken in the nest by mistake. Maybe the hen is heavier than most others, or the egg rolls out and breaks. Either way, the hen decides to try it and it, being a delicious egg (even in its raw form), is liked by the hen. She'll continue to break and eat eggs, because, if you routinely pooped out eggs, wouldn't you?

The thread itself contains information on how to prevent it. Luckily, I haven't had this issue with my seven hens and hopefully I never will.

Agreed. Egg eating has become something "normal" though and it is seen in a LOT of flocks today. I, unfortunately, as i said in the article, have larger hens whocrushed eggs accidentally in one point in time which caused an egg eating frenzy.
I also had the opportunity to "rescue" ten or more hens from my neighbor who did not feed them/support their diets which resulted in thin/rubbery substance like shells that the light weight hens could easily crush. Because of the nutrition of the egg yolk and white, the hens naturally began to eat them because of their malnutrition. I made themistake of bringing these hens into my flock which only worsened the egg eating issue i already had. Thankfully (not meaning in a cruel way) all of those hens that were "rescues" have died and the hens inmy flock are starting to get back to a more mild case of egg eating.