Help! I think my chickens are cannibals!

[PoultryQueen29]

At first I thought the problem of broken eggs was due to soft-shelled eggs because it was my EE's first 2 eggs and they were soft-shelled but now I am finding broken shells from eggs that seem to have been strong and healthy. I put a golf ball in there so maybe that'll help but is there anything else I can do?

 

[bargain]

What are you feeding the hen. She may be nutrient deficient in the protein area. I would also try adding a bit more protein. You might need to give her oyster shell, to make harder eggs. I only had one egg eater but when I did, she ate the entire egg!

Distract her, Hang bits of cabbage for her to dibble on. This is probably earlier enough so that you can stop a bad habit!
And until you see egg yolk on her beak, it may not actually be the hen. Sometimes, egg snakes will come in the coops as well, although usually they eat all the egg.

 

[PoultryQueen29]

I feed them Purina Layena and Oyster shell. I also give them cooked button quail eggs occasionally.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Are you sure you don't have a rodent problem? I give my chickens dirty eggs occasionally (just toss them into the run, egg breaks, chickens eat it-all of it, even the shell). When I had a mouse issue, I was finding empty shells all over the coop, licked clean of their insides. I thought I had an egg eater as well, but set a bucket trap just in case. 3 nights and a trillion mice later, I don't find empty shells anymore. Good luck!

 

[PoultryQueen29]

I dont think so because the other eggs are fine. Only Pumpkin's eggs get broken. The shells aren't clean either. They are covered in yolk and whites