gullybrush

[gullybrush]

Has anyone had this problem? I have hay in my laying boxes. The hens push it aside and when they raise up to drop an egg, the egg hits the wood bottom and cracks. This happens two or three times a month. I tried putting bubble wrap on the wood and then hay, but they peck at the bubble wrap and I don't want to risk them eating it. Thanks for anything.

 

[GitaBooks]

I have not had that particular problem, but I do know that my chickens sometimes break eggs in their nest boxes. I would suggest getting some rubber matting or one of those special nest box liners. This will help cushion it but prevent them from eating it. It is also easy to clean.

I hope this works. Best of luck!

 

[Wise Woman]

I haven't had this problem either, but one of my hens likes to sit on the roost and the egg drops down into the poop board and sometimes breaks if it lands on the edge. Don't know why she won't use the nest boxes. Chickens are weirdos.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Can you just add more hay? That’s what I use and don’t have that problem at all, but the lip on my nest is about 5” so I can add a lot of hay without them scratching it out of the way. Before a hen lays an egg she often scratches and rearranges the bedding to get it just the way she likes it. She makes a depression and raises sides around her making a nest. If there is not enough bedding she can reach all the way down to the wood.

Another potential cause if the same hen’s eggs are breaking is that her shells may not be very thick. If all the eggs are thin-shelled you have a flock problem and need to increase the calcium they are eating, probably by offering oyster shell on the side.

Some hens are much better at digesting the calcium they eat than others. Although they may be eating enough calcium it is not being digested and used for the egg shells like it should. That’s an individual hen problem, not a flock problem, and is probably genetic. Even if you are offering oyster shell or some other calcium supplement she may not have the instincts to eat as much as she needs. Most hens get that right but each is an individual. Not all have the right instincts or their bodies may not be just right.

Something else to check. Do you have nails, screws, or something else hard and pointy sticking up that the egg is hitting?

 

[candr01]

I put a piece of old linoleum on the bottom of the nest box, then covered that with hay. The girls tend to push the hay aside before they lay but I think the lino helps cusion the fall. I've only ever had one cracked egg. I also think checking to make sure they get enough calcium and that the egg shells are strong is important too. Good luck!

 

[gullybrush]

Duh...I never heard of nest box liners. Good idea and thanks. I'll ask at the chicken store.