Egg Eating

[Alagirl]

Do they only eat seed and mealworms? Maybe it's a calcium deficiency leading to thin breakable shells and your RIR feeling the need to eat shells.

Why not get a big feeder and fill it with proper feed once a week or so? That may also be easier for your hectic schedule. If you're feeding mealworms often it may save you money as well long term. Those bugs are expensive!

No, they get the seeds and worms as treats. the seeds in the morning to have something to scratch, the worms in the evening, as conditioning so they come when called.
Other than that they have a 22% layer pellet by Tucker Milling in the feeder.
I have kept the small feeder so I HAVE to get out twice a day and check on them.
I have looked into a larger one, too, but as my setup is pretty much outdoor I don't want to have a large amount of feed getting wet and spoil either.
They also do have oyster shells on the side, but they don't eat those.

It seems the run is calmer without the RIR in it but I will spend some time this week to observe them more closely.

I do appreciate all the input.
it had me a little confused there.
I am getting my eggs now again, when I thought they were slowing.

 

[Alagirl]

1/2 cup is 8 tablespoons, or 24 teaspoons. That's if we are using the typical measuring cups found in the USA. If it's half of a "cup" used for drinking, it could easily be more or less because "cups" come in so many sizes.

Whether that is too much will depend on how much you think each bird should get in the day.

Some people limit "treats" to one tablespoon per bird per day. 1/2 cup for 5 birds is more than that. Some other people use higher limits than that. (I am not recommending any particular limit, just weighing in on the numbers/math.)

I am using a feed scroop. Not sure how accurate it is, and I think most of the time the amount is actually smaller. Just a wee bit on the ground to spread them out and scratch something for a few minutes.

 

[Alagirl]

the egg eating saga continues (and I am becoming convinced it is a pecking order thing.)

So RIR is in the extra baby coop, lays nicely, no issues.
Now the one Barred Rock (bossy one) chased one of the brown hens out of the nest as she got ready to lay.
twice while I watched. I am expecting to find an eaten egg in the run when I check back with them.
I guess I am going to try to corral my little Omega girl and put her in the small coop for a while. and put RIR back with her girls.
I need to get cracking on the coop revamp
and find something fresh for them to forage on.
everything here is dried to a crisp now. the runs are dust and even dumping the water out does not result in a puddle for long.

 

[BellaM]

In my experience, cull ... I've had the odd "egg eater" and I've tried all the recommended methods to stop her. They work for a week or two, but then she's back to her ol' habits. So now I just cull

 

[Alagirl]

In my experience, cull ... I've had the odd "egg eater" and I've tried all the recommended methods to stop her. They work for a week or two, but then she's back to her ol' habits. So now I just cull

like I said, RIR is fine by herself, I get eggs from her. Different ones I thought I was getting from her.
I might have to make a 2nd run, putting her and the bossy one in, or pull my 2 brown ones out.
it really seems to be a dominance thing. I laughed at the nest boxes with curtains, it seems to have a valid point to do that!

 

[dirkandlorie]

like I said, RIR is fine by herself, I get eggs from her. Different ones I thought I was getting from her.
I might have to make a 2nd run, putting her and the bossy one in, or pull my 2 brown ones out.
it really seems to be a dominance thing. I laughed at the nest boxes with curtains, it seems to have a valid point to do that!

I have a 9 year old gold sexlinks that eats eggs. No suggestions here have stopped her from eating eggs, she likes them and will try to eat them even before the other hen has finished laying them!! Yes, they do teach the other hens to do the same. I solved the issue by putting chicken wire across the coop. My Betty and 2 of the other older chickens go to sleep at night in this alcove, and don't come out til I've collected the days eggs. Then they come out to play, free range, scratch around. They can see each other through the wire, so they're still part of the flock. That alcove is 5' x 10' with their own water and feeder in there, so they're well taken care of even if weather is bad and can't come out at all. I keep my favorite old hens, and I still get eggs. Win/win in my eyes. Culling isn't necessary with this issue in my opinion.

 

[tmosscurrier]

What if you are not sure who is doing it? We had this problem and separated one chicken at a time and still had broken eggs. Then the problem stopped. And now it’s happening again. We have a bird feeder that is attacking scrub jays and an occasional crow. Could they be the culprits?

 

[Alagirl]

What if you are not sure who is doing it? We had this problem and separated one chicken at a time and still had broken eggs. Then the problem stopped. And now it’s happening again. We have a bird feeder that is attacking scrub jays and an occasional crow. Could they be the culprits?

the run is an 8x8 steel run with roof from TSC.
I saw RIR got after the egg, so she went out, today I watched the bossy Barred Rock go after the lowest hen as she tried to lay.
So I might take her out and put her with the RIR in a separate run (I will need to build) or do likewise with the two brown Ameraucanas to get some peace and quiet.

I like the lot, but I do want to get some eggs as well.

 

[lagrange chicks]

Roll away nest boxes are great, I made mine but there are companies that make them. Eggs are clean, chickens can't get to them and I am sure it would be cheaper then a new run.

 

[mboldi]

So, turns out my RIR eats eggs.
I watched as one of the Barred Rocks layed her egg and swift as a greased lightning my little red bird shot into the nest and cracked it before I could step in.
A little while later I came in and watched as one of my Ameraucanas did her thing. I felt bad swiping it right away. There I saw the eggshell of the egg of the other one.
The RIR is the boldest one of the lot, followed by the Barred Rocks. The Ameraucana who's egg got eaten is the bottom in the ranks.

I am not quite sure where my Barred Rocks stand precisely though
But I wondered, is that a rank/dominance thing, killing the eggs?
Or just a bad habit?
I have been feeding them a 22% protein layerfeed, birdseed (1/2 cup) in the morning, a small handful of dried bugs in the evening.

Seeing we are heading into fall, is there are chance they overcome this til the laying picks back up in spring?
Or am I just keeping them now for the poop?

I've only had a couple of egg eaters and I culled them immediately.