First egg ever!... But...

[Faso]

Hello! So just last Sunday I check for an egg... First time checking in a week... Low and behold there is an egg in the nest box! I freaked and grabbed it and ran inside to tell my wife and little girl! We were so happy!

Now... The bad part... I checked the next day and there was another but it was pecked open! My chickens are dumb and young... I blew it off... The next day... No egg... OK that's normal... Today... Egg again but pecked open!

What do I do! I think whoever is laying it out of my three birds is not laying in the nest box. She did the one day but the pecked eggs are just outside the nest box making it more visible and making them curious enough to give it a little peck...

What do I do? I was so happy I finally got an egg but now I feel like I have large problem!

Help!
Mike :-(

 

[ChickAudie]

Oh no, Mike, that's no good

I hope some more experienced BYCers can help ya, I am a newbie. Good luck with your chickens

 

[Faso]

If this is posted in the wrong place please let me know...

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Make sure you don't have a rodent problem would be my first bit of advice. I give my chickens dirty eggs quite often (just toss them in the run) and they eat everything- shell and all. When I had a mice problem (which I thought was an egg eating issue) I'd find eggs I thought were pecked open with the contents gone. Which I found strange considering they'd usually eat everything. I set a bucket trap that night and caught gobs of mice. If you have wild birds flying into your coop they could be the culprit as well. Sitting outside and observing will probably help you figure out what's going on. Good luck!
Nikki

 

[theoldchick]

Keep food available all day and remove at night. Increase the protein and calcium in the diet, (good quality layer feed) add more greens and invest in a 'roll-away' nest box. This box is designed to keep eggs away from hens.

Unfortunately, once a hen discovers the egg is also a source of food, the habit is difficult to stop. Some folks cull such chickens but some discover the roll-away nest box is the way to go.

Good luck!