Egg Eating!

[ClaraCluckChicken]

I've got a younger flock of 6...one older hen has been laying for several months now and four of the younger ones have recently begun laying as well. It seems someone has started eating the eggs though! I've tried to put more straw and shavings in the nesting boxes but they take them out. I've used golf balls but it obviously isn't stopping it. I have no idea which one(s) are doing it either! I've got them on a good layer feed and give them treats of oats, ground corn and sometimes fruit from the house. Any tips/tricks that have worked for you? Thanks!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I've never had an egg eater. We've had thin shelled eggs from new layers break in nesting box and the birds eat it but have never had a bird purposely break open to eat an egg.

Egg eaters do occur but it's really not that common. I'd sooner suspect thin shells breaking from young layers. Once the shells thicken up I believe your problem will stop.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Buy some fake eggs. If it is an egg eater, they will not be able to break the fake egg. Secondly, you will have to collect eggs at least 3 times a day. Hopefully it is just as Egghead said, and it is just a case of soft shells. My girls have eaten broken eggs too, but they have not purposely broken and egg to eat it. I observe them when they get into the nest with a fake egg. They each scoot the egg with their beak, close to them. Then, gently sit down like good little mamas.

 

[dunnmom]

Mine accidently crack their eggs sometimes. Once I caught a hen with her beak in a broken egg, but it's the only time I've seen it happen. Their eggshells and membranes are usually pretty thick, but they will lay thin ones from time to time. Our main problem is our girls don't like bedding in their nestbox. They kick it out and then lay on the bare wood. Silly girls!

 

[ClaraCluckChicken]

Buy some fake eggs. If it is an egg eater, they will not be able to break the fake egg. Secondly, you will have to collect eggs at least 3 times a day. Hopefully it is just as Egghead said, and it is just a case of soft shells. My girls have eaten broken eggs too, but they have not purposely broken and egg to eat it. I observe them when they get into the nest with a fake egg. They each scoot the egg with their beak, close to them. Then, gently sit down like good little mamas.

I've put some golf balls in and they push them to the ground. When I do get the eggs before they've been eaten I have never seen a soft shelled one so I have not assumed that to be the problem.

 

[ClaraCluckChicken]

Mine accidently crack their eggs sometimes. Once I caught a hen with her beak in a broken egg, but it's the only time I've seen it happen. Their eggshells and membranes are usually pretty thick, but they will lay thin ones from time to time. Our main problem is our girls don't like bedding in their nestbox. They kick it out and then lay on the bare wood. Silly girls!

Mine kick out the bedding too! I've read that more bedding can help egg eaters stop but when I put more in they just take it out. :/

 

[aart]

I've got them on a good layer feed and give them treats of oats, ground corn and sometimes fruit from the house.

What's the protein percentage of the layer feed?
Cut out all treats except high protein ones...like mealworms, meat scraps, canned mackerel or tuna.

 

[ClaraCluckChicken]

What's the protein percentage of the layer feed?
Cut out all treats except high protein ones...like mealworms, meat scraps, canned mackerel or tuna.

16% protein in the layer feed. I went and bought them a big thing of mealworms today!