Eggs breaking & cracking and my hens are eating the eggs

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Welcome to BYC!!!

Glad you joined us!!

 

[flytie]

If you're not actually sure that your hens are eating the eggs, it could also be that there are too many eggs lying around, and they tend to step on them.

 

[Blackout]

Hi again folks!

We recently discovered this behavior among one of our weird frizzles. We aquired the frizzle with one other and a red bourbon turkey. She hasn't previously done this until just recently as our black javas are beginning to lay.

It almost seems to be spiteful unless I'm giving her too much credit, but its only the javas eggs she's breaking and she's not eating them. Just if she finds the eggs before we do she'll crack them and walk away.

Our javas are laying just where ever, they've just started laying and haven't figured out the nesting boxes exactly which makes everyday like Easter around here.

So while this is similar to the op, it's not quite the same. Do we cull her or get rid of her? Can it be broke or is this something more ingrained like a survival of the fittest sort of thing and she thinks she's insuring her brood survive into the next generation? Or am I giving chickens too much credit again?

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! Happy you joined!

 

[evswabt]

I've caged the hen that is breaking and eating the eggs, is there a way to cure her? I may get some ceramic eggs to put in the cage with her in hopes that it's too hard for her beak and she'll stop breaking eggs, what do you think?

 

[All Henned Up]

Welcome and enjoy!
Steve.

 

[BarredRockMom]

I've caged the hen that is breaking and eating the eggs, is there a way to cure her? I may get some ceramic eggs to put in the cage with her in hopes that it's too hard for her beak and she'll stop breaking eggs, what do you think?

I'm interested to read if someone thinks the fake egg will deter your girl. I found an egg laid on the floor of the coop with a hole pecked in it and it was licked clean as a whistle! I'm going to have to put up an inside trail cam to see who the culprit is. Am hoping that this is a one time fluke...

 

[cypressdrake]

When mine did this about 5 years ago, I added crushed clam shell or/and Oyster Shells. This is a sign that they're missing something like calcium from their diets. I thought I would never stop them, but the shells made the eggs shell thicker and harder.

Also you can add more hay to the assure the eggs are not on a hard surface. A softer bed makes it harder to knock a hole in an egg.

Good Luck!

 

[evswabt]

It's a long trip to the feed store and they didn't have oyster shells last time. Thanks for the advice for a good fix of adding oyster shells. Better than having Loverly for chicken dinner. I'll also add lots of hay in their bed for a softer floor. Really hope this works, will let you know. New in the hen house

 

[BarredRockMom]

It's a long trip to the feed store and they didn't have oyster shells last time. Thanks for the advice for a good fix of adding oyster shells. Better than having Loverly for chicken dinner. I'll also add lots of hay in their bed for a softer floor. Really hope this works, will let you know. New in the hen house

I hope your girl(s) have stopped their egg feasting. Mine did. Turns out, they were running low on calcium. I put out the crushed oyster shell for them & when it gets to a certain size, they kick over the bowl (spoiled little sh*t birds, lol!). Hey, I looked in the bowl & saw a lot of white so I figured we were good. I was informed differently...and informed that I should've known better.They're just doing their chicken thing, but it's kinda funny to be "reprimanded" by a fluffy chicken. I put out another bowl with more acceptable sized pieces and all's right with the world again. I added more straw to the coop floor too, but the real difference was the acceptably sized calcium. Those girls are a constant source of amusement, I'll say that!