Help.. I think I have an Egg Eater.....

[jjarvies]

My neighbor had one of her hens isolated. When I asked her why, she told me she was eating eggs. That might work - but poor isolated chicken.

 

[Pumpkin Patch T]

The only sure way to find out which chickens are eating their eggs is to separate them. I used extra chicken wire and temporarily fenced off small sections (cages would work okay for this if you have some available) of the coop and or run and included a pile of straw or shavings for them each to lay their eggs. One chicken per area! You have to check frequently and often for several days to be sure because some may not leave any trace of the egg and some may leave only yolk stains on bits of the bedding, and most chickens do not lay every day. It is really sad but as far as I know there is no way to cure them once they have tasted the egg inside the shell and figure where it came from.

 

[Urbanchick 15]

My friend suggested putting a golf ball in each nest box. I tried it and it worked.

 

[TwoCrows]

I had some terrible egg eating issues in my flock a while back. I have always kept fake eggs in the nest boxes since day one. I would find the girls doing their rounds checking all real eggs and the fake ones, getting into every box in hopes of finding some eggs to eat. I had read in a poultry magazine about hanging curtains up over the boxes to keep them dark and the hens will not mess with the real ones and are less likely to stop be each box to check on the eggs. It worked!! I have not had any egg eating episodes since...


They slip thru the curtain, lay their eggs and promptly leave. I try to collect the eggs often, but I have found that the hens are not doing rounds looking for eggs to eat thru the curtains. No more egg eating!!

 

[Peep_Show]

I've heard that filling a hollowed-out egg with dish soap is very effective.... Somebody mentioned mixing it with mustard here, but why waste the mustard?

 

[jjarvies]

Another thing to consider is that maybe they are lacking some nutrient - maybe buy oyster shells for them. I've never had an egg eater in other places I've lived. I'm in a new location and have a new batch of spring chickens. I'm keeping my fingers crossed as I don't want to share w egg eaters - love the farm fresh eggs!

 

[CochinBeauties]

Get them Oyster Shells to eat so they have harder shells for their eggs. There is always simply separating her from the rest of the group in a smaller area. She would be perfectly fine like that. Or, perhaps she just needs more protein.

 

[song of joy]

You need to cull the offender(s) ASAP, as there is no cure for an egg-eater.

 

[chad-o]

You need to cull the offender(s) ASAP, as there is no cure for an egg-eater.

I agree with songs of joy there is no cure but there is prevention. If you don't want to cull the offenders your other choice is prevention. The Solway roll out nest is a sure cure.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221421937094?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649

 

[theoldguy]

Fill the eggs with Dawn soap, it worked for me