Happy day, and EGG EATERs.

[jenifry]

My 20 week old pullets started laying today, almost all at once. I have 4 hens, and 4 pullets... and up until today had never had more than 4 eggs in a day. Everyone is laying now, although I seem to have an egg eater. Anyone know how to find out which one it is? I work 8-5, and when I get home in the evening, I can tell by evidence in the nest box that I am losing at least one egg every day.

 

[Judy]

When pullets first start laying, often one will lay a soft shelled egg or very thin shelled egg, which is the cause of this when it happens in my flock. Offering oyster shell in a separate dish may harden up the shell, or it may even self correct as their bodies adjust to laying eggs. Sometimes one has a specific internal problem. You can dab some food coloring on their vent area in different colors to try to identify the culprit, if you're finding enough shell to see some food coloring. Really, the only ways to be sure are to watch them lay eggs or separate them.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publi...ndbook/16/thinshelled-eggs-and-shellless-eggs

 

[jenifry]

Thanks for the info! I have had a couple shell-less eggs, but the eggs I am losing have all been eaten, leaving just a trace of yolk in the nest box, and it has been happening since before the pullets started laying, When I had only the 4 mature hens laying. I went from magically having 4 eggs a day, to three a day with yolk in the next box. I want to butcher the egg eater, because she's already cost me her weight in eggs, I just don't know how to figure out who she is. I am always at work during the time they lay.