Faulty Hens or Faulty Chicken Boxes?

[krogen]

Hi Everyone,

I have two three-hole chicken nest boxes that were purchased on Amazon. Chinese design, not branded, plenty of copy cats of it.

The problem that I have with it is the depth of the collection box. It’s slanted, no problems with eggs rolling down. Plenty of times I’ve seen chickens with their necks inside of the collection box. Either playing with eggs, taking them out and trying to sit on them or… Eating their own eggs. Actually, I’ve never caught any hen doing it, but I know it’s happening. Our average egg count right now is 18 or so, and it seems like almost every other day there’s one egg eaten.

Any tips for preventing this? Any box designs that don’t have this problem?

 

[nuthatched]

What's their diet?
Blow out some eggs and fill them with orange dish soap and leave them in the nest box.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Can we get pics of these nests please?

 

[krogen]

What's their diet?
Blow out some eggs and fill them with orange dish soap and leave them in the nest box.

Just about anything. I’d say 60% home left overs (I’ve got a couple sources), the rest is a mixture of corn, oats and chicken feed. I supplement them with ground up egg shells pretty much every meal (unless I forget). The egg shells they lay is pretty much what they get back.

Can we get pics of these nests please?

Yes! Here’s also a broken egg from today.

 

[krogen]

What's their diet?
Blow out some eggs and fill them with orange dish soap and leave them in the nest box.

I forgot to mention… They also free range for at least 4 hours a day, so grass and grub that they find.

 

[nuthatched]

Just about anything. I’d say 60% home left overs (I’ve got a couple sources), the rest is a mixture of corn, oats and chicken feed. I supplement them with ground up egg shells pretty much every meal (unless I forget). The egg shells they lay is pretty much what they get back.



Yes! Here’s also a broken egg from today.




View attachment 4125385View attachment 4125386

The diet is the problem.
Cut out the corn, oats (junk food) and scraps and feed only chicken feed. A nice layer with atleadt 18% protein or chick feed with oyster shell available.