Help!!! The chickens are eating their eggs.......

[michelleinmyrtle]

So, finally we're getting eggs but we have figured out that they are eating the eggs. Dangit. I read that once they accidentally break one open and taste them and know they are good that this can be a very hard habit to break. we've taken to checking the boxes more often, and even put a golf ball like it stated somewhere so they'll start to think they're too hard to break open. Any other suggestions? I read somewher to hang a piece of cloth or something up in the boxes to make them darker so that they won't stick around to try to mess w/their eggs.

Plus only getting a couple eggs per day and we have 12 chickens. Maybe that's also just b/c they're eating them.

Any suggestions would be great.

 

[Hoosiermomma]

Do you give yours free choice oyster shells?

 

[chookchick]

If they are just starting to lay they are prone to soft shell or no shell eggs. They may eat these--not uncommon at all. Make sure that they have layer food, and oyster shell available at all times. You may want to give them extra protein in the form of meal worms, game food, sunflower seeds, washed cottage cheese, or even cat food or shredded cheese in small amounts (careful with the salt). If they are protein-deficient they are more likely to eat eggs. The drape over the nest box can help, and collect eggs often. The mustard/soap egg trick does not seem to be very effective.

 

[Mahonri]

It's almost an impossible habit to break. When I was a kid we had to have nest boxes where the egg would roll to the back out of site and then we'd gather them from the other side.

You'll have to monitor and get rid of the egg eaters or get different nest boxes.