Egg Eating

[brickmom68]

Can anyone give me some advice about dealing with an egg eater?

Some background info:
I was dealing with a broody hen (Buff Orp). A few days in the penalty box and some frozen bottles under her butt broke her. A day or so after I integrated her back into the flock I found egg albumin and yolk under the roosting bars (no shell to be found) with one of my black australorps (Boss Lady) pecking at the egg insides. I thought maybe my broody hen had glitchy equipment that wasn’t back up to speed yet. I threw some extra calcium out for them and they appeared to eat it.

This morning one of my buff orps was in a nesting box. After a bit I went out to collect her egg. Her box was empty but in the box next to it was one of my black australorps (Miss Boss Lady) feasting on a broken egg. I *think* she may have pushed the buff’s egg into the adjacent box for her feast. She wasn’t happy about me removing her and the contents one bit. And after I put more material in the box she went right back to it, searching for her prize.

Additionally, I’ve also integrated pullets into the hen house at this time as well.
They were in an adjacent brooder pen and integrated into the yard during the day—but they’ve just started sleeping in the main coop at night as well.

I realize I need to try and collect the laid eggs ASAP. But other than that what are other ways to discourage this behavior?
Have I had too many *life changes* in too short a time span?
Do I have to put her in the penalty box now?

Sorry this is lengthy, but I thought maybe context was needed here.

 

[DLA]

I've never dealt with this problem personally but I've heard people mention roll away nesting boxes - if that's possible for your coop setup to add those = probably best fool proof solution since once egg is laid it's out of their reach, collecting eggs often and putting golf balls in the nest so they peck at them but don't get anything and lose interest, and even heard of filling a blown out egg with mustard so they get something they don't like when they try to eat it. My grandpa had tons of laying hens when I was growing up, he culled any egg eaters which might end up being the final solution if nothing else works to break them of it. Once one starts if you don't stop it, other hens can learn that bad behavior.

 

[nuthatched]

Blow out an egg and fill it with yellow dish soap, birds can't taste spicey, mustard won't do anything.
Egg eating is often a symptom of low protein, Increasing the protein if their diet by getting a higher protein feed might also help.

 

[brickmom68]

I've never dealt with this problem personally but I've heard people mention roll away nesting boxes - if that's possible for your coop setup to add those = probably best fool proof solution since once egg is laid it's out of their reach, collecting eggs often and putting golf balls in the nest so they peck at them but don't get anything and lose interest, and even heard of filling a blown out egg with mustard so they get something they don't like when they try to eat it. My grandpa had tons of laying hens when I was growing up, he culled any egg eaters which might end up being the final solution if nothing else works to break them of it. Once one starts if you don't stop it, other hens can learn that bad behavior.

Interesting.
I actually had golf balls in my boxes, but took them out because of the broody hen. Maybe I’ll try to put them back.

 

[brickmom68]

Blow out an egg and fill it with yellow dish soap, birds can't taste spicey, mustard won't do anything.
Egg eating is often a symptom of low protein, Increasing the protein if their diet by getting a higher protein feed might also help.

I feed layer feed by Dumor. And starter/grower to my pullets, which Miss Boss Lady devours every chance she gets. Plus veggie scraps and they free range when I can keep my eye on them.

Would fermenting feed increase their protein?

 

[nuthatched]

I feed layer feed by Dumor. And starter/grower to my pullets, which Miss Boss Lady devours every chance she gets. Plus veggie scraps and they free range when I can keep my eye on them.

Would fermenting feed increase their protein?

No, it just makes it bubbly.
Feed everyone the grower with oyster shell on the side. Or they're several high protein feed available these days. Dumor layer is 16%, which is bottom bar protein levels.
Veggie scraps and treats actually decrease the nutrition of their feed if they get too much.

 

[aart]

feasting on a broken egg

Was the shell good and hard or thin/soft?

 

[brickmom68]

Was the shell good and hard or thin/soft?

It was a bit on the thin side…
I’ve upped the calcium…and the eggs eating has not happened again.
Hopefully it was just a one time thing.

 

[aart]

It was a bit on the thin side…
I’ve upped the calcium…and the eggs eating has not happened again.
Hopefully it was just a one time thing.

An easily broken egg is fair game for eating....glad it's cleared up.