Hen eating eggs

[Chipmunk Chicks]

I have three Welsh Harlequin ducks who will be a year old around the end of June. I have been getting three nice eggs from them mostly like clockwork every morning laid in the hut, and then I move them to the enclosure for the day, which they share with the chickens, and then I move them back into the hut to sleep. There is no food or water in the hut, only bedding, as the only time they spend there is overnight.

Over a month ago now, one of my hens went broody. I really thought she was injured at first because she was squishing her neck down and quacking so much. But I figured she's not, just broody. And more and more I would get them in the morning and she was sitting on the nest, and I would gather the three eggs each day.

Last week though, I found a soft shelled egg, so I figured I was slacking at putting the oyster shell out, (because it's also sort of spilled all over the ground lol, and also because it seemed like I may be had extra calcium deposits on some of their eggs, maybe, so I didn't figure they could be so close to depleted). It was only a few days anyway, and I went back to putting it out daily no matter what, and no more soft eggs.

But the next day, I did get a broken egg, that had been eaten, and the same day I got a MONSTER egg that was easily twice as big as their usual eggs. So for the past four days now I think, I'm waking up to a broken, half eaten or fully eaten egg. At first I figured if it was a little weak, it had cracked so she cleaned it up, but this is several days in a row now.

Also, about this same time, one of the other hens went broody, too. So now I wake up to both of them sitting on the nest and squalking. I figured maybe that had something to do with the eggs getting broken, but now whatever is causing it, accidental or otherwise, I don't want it to continue.

Any ideas? Oh! I also got a duck egg laid in the run yesterday, which never happens. So I really just don't know what's going on with someone's laying over here.

 

[Canadian Wind]

For the egg laid in the run, maybe that hen didn't feel safe to lay in the coop as usual with two broodies in there.

Do you have a drake? If not then you should break the brooding cycle by removing all eggs and dismantling the nesting area, and tossing the two girls back out and closing the door.

As for eating the eggs, that I'm not sure about. Maybe putting fake eggs that they can't break open, teaching them they are not food? Perhaps they are missing protein in their diet so have turned to eating the eggs. What are you feeding them? What's the protein % in it?

 

[Canadian Wind]

Beautiful ducks, btw

 

[DukesDucks]

I don't think a chicken could break open a Muscovy egg but I could be wrong. I have had some success breaking the egg eating habit of my chickens by putting in some plastic eggs. I put hot sauce or mustard in one or two so if opened by chicken they get a nasty surprise. Others I fill with some sand so chickens feel the same weight as a real egg.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

For the egg laid in the run, maybe that hen didn't feel safe to lay in the coop as usual with two broodies in there.

Do you have a drake? If not then you should break the brooding cycle by removing all eggs and dismantling the nesting area, and tossing the two girls back out and closing the door.

As for eating the eggs, that I'm not sure about. Maybe putting fake eggs that they can't break open, teaching them they are not food? Perhaps they are missing protein in their diet so have turned to eating the eggs. What are you feeding them? What's the protein % in it?

No, we lost our drake in January. I collect the eggs each morning and all three ducks get moved to the enclosure for the day, which they share with the chickens. They only go back to the hut to sleep, by which time I have long since raked around the bedding.

For the egg laid in the run, it's weird because I still got two good eggs, plus the broken one each morning! I thought for sure the one I found in the run would mean I only got two in the morning, but sure enough it was two good ones, and a broken one. Do we think the broodies could be intentionally kicking the non broody's egg out of the nest or even breaking her egg so as to only sit on their own?

For feed they get a 20% protein all flock, plus a few mealworm treats and forage in the pen. And crushed oyster shell, which they seem to love.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

Beautiful ducks, btw

Thank you! I really just adore them. . I can't believe I get to snuggle them every morning. My morning duck hugs are a very special part of each day! Lol

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

I don't think a chicken could break open a Muscovy egg but I could be wrong. I have had some success breaking the egg eating habit of my chickens by putting in some plastic eggs. I put hot sauce or mustard in one or two so if opened by chicken they get a nasty surprise. Others I fill with some sand so chickens feel the same weight as a real egg.

Hm, I wonder how I would go about doing that? Anyway it's got to be one of the ducks who is doing it, because the do not share space with the chickens overnight. Thankfully it's not happening in the run... Yet.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

Update! This morning I got three beautiful, normal sized eggs! The only funny thing was the two were laid together, and the third was a little separate from the others, but everyone basically was squawking and no one was sitting. Weird!

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

So that was short lived. Today there were two good eggs buried in the bedding, and the third I finally found wet yolk etc in the bedding and what was left of the shell. Lots of squalking, but no sitting. Also! I noticed it was the most broody one who had a little ring of bedding - from eating said egg - on her bill. So at least now I know who the culprit is. I just wish I knew why....

 

[DukesDucks]

Once egg eating starts, it can be a very difficult habit to break. Any chance you can collect earlier? Have you tried filling fake plastic eggs or other egg substitutes?
Unless one of the ducks is sitting on a nest, IMO they are not truly broody. Maybe the one duck is eating the egg that is not hers.
My Muscovy ducks often share a nest so I will find one or two ducks sitting on multiple eggs in the same nest. But it is not unusual to find eggs in other areas in the coop, in the run, and even in their pool.