Help with egg eating!

[Acre4Me]

I’d stop any treats or table scraps for now* so the protein in their feed isn’t diluted. You can up the protein with DRY cat/kitten food. You can wet it to soften it. You can use fish-food flakes, canned meat, scrambled/cooked eggs. All increase protein. But, you’d still feed them chicken feed too. If you can buy a higher protein feed, like an all-flock or even a meat bird starter grower, for a while, that would be good too. * the only table scraps I’d consider would be leftover meats, but watch the salt content,too much is bad for them.

the extra protein should help, but habits are hard to break.

how Many chickens and how many nestboxes?

 

[Weeg]

I have 8 chickens in my coop, and two nesting boxes, that are about a meter wide each, but most of my chickens roost. The nesting boxes fit about three chickens comfortably, but only three of my chickens acutely sleep in the boxes. The perch is about 3 feet above the nesting boxes, and is basically just a 2x4 that stretches across the length of the coop. I will post a picture tomorrow. I can use cat food, does it matter what brand? What about a supplement like rooster booster, or brewers yeast supplement. I have heard of them but never research them for my flock. Thanks so much! I am glad you didn't tell me to "Do not feed table scraps ever!" I have heard that before, but have fed my chickens them for YEARS an don thad any problem until now. Thanks again! Avery

 

[Acre4Me]

Most people recommend blocking nest boxes off so the chickens do not sleep there. It keeps the eggs cleaner. Also it may prevent them from breaking any eggs That may be in there. If you block off the nests at night, you’ll have to pick up the 3 and put them on the roost for a few nights, but then they’ll adjust.

feather picking and egg eating can be caused by not enough protein in the diet, so you want to increase protein, and not dilute what you are giving them. So, hold off on treats that are not as nutritional and don’t contain much protein. My flock’s main treat is wet feed with some scrambled egg or seeds sprinkled on top. They adore this. Sometimes I rehydrate Alfafa pellets (like used for horses and are only alfalfa, no other additives) and mix some into the wet feed bc alfalfa is 16% minimum protein.

adding DRY cat food: brand isn’t important, but the protein content should be around 30% in Dry cat food. Wet food is much lower in protein. This is just a supplement. For me, I would add it to my wet feed treat.

you may find it easier to buy a higher protein feed in the long run so that you can provide treats without lowering their overall protein intake. However, treats should still be given only occasionally or in small amounts.

 

[aart]

I have heard that before, but have fed my chickens them for YEARS an don thad any problem until now.

How many years?
Pics, and actual dimensions, of your coop and run would help here.
How old are these birds, in weeks or months?

 

[Weeg]

I have a mixed variety of ages in my coop, most of about half of the birds are 3ish years old and ht rest ranging from 6-8. We hav adopted some older ladies from our friends so we don't know there exact age. I hav kept are around 5 or 6 flocks of chickens and keeping ht chickens until the predators finally outsmarted us, so each flock was 1-2 years old or older. This is our longest living flock. I am taking a picture now and will post measurement s with it. ITs not super big, but we are working on creating more space by putting more night time nesting boxes above the perches , so they don't sleep where they lay there eggs. We are reunion to the tractor supply today so we can get a higher protein food. Is there one that you suggest? Thanks, Avery

 

[Weeg]

I have also included a picture of a broken egg they ate if thats helpful. But you can see there is still white in the shell. And we have yellow bottoms to our nesting boxes so the yellow is the bottom of the nesting box, not the actual yolk. I am getting pics of the detentions.

 

[Weeg]

Coop: 8ft tall 3ft 4" wide

Nesting Boxes: 3ft wide 1ft 3" back

 

[Weeg]

@Acre4Me @aart @Eggcessive
I got a 20 percent protein scratch and peck starter feed today. Turns out the feed I was feeding was 18 percent so I will feed the scratch and peck for a bit to up the protein. I put wetted cat food out today before I left, they didn’t seem to excited about it but they picked at it a bit. I also found some high protein cat treats that I had on hand. I was thinking of giving them that as a treat! I almost bought more but thought I’de see what you thought before getting more. Thanks for the help!

 

[aart]

I got a 20 percent protein scratch and peck starter feed today.

Is it pelleted, crumbles, or cracked grains?
If cracked grain might want to wet or ferment it, so all the fines(vitamins/minerals/amino acids) get stuck the grains and ingested.

 

[Nia24]

Hi Avery! I have some ideas. you can find something more interesting then eggs for your chickens to eat. you could put food out in the morning for them. possibly you could put something else the chickens won't want to eat. Are these Ideas helpful? bye! -Nia