Hen troubles...

[ChickenApple]

So I have a flock of 9. 3 from last spring and 6 from this spring. Well my older hens have not taken the change well and are just mean to the others. The new ones have just started laying and one of them is eating the eggs. I am not sure who is doing it but today was the 3rd egg I have found just the gooey left overs in the nesting box. Is this normal behavior? Is there anything I can do to stop this? I am using a game cam to try and determine who the culprit is but so far it hasn't given me any answers. Thanks for any advise!

 

[so lucky]

Is it possible that one of the new layers is laying thin shelled eggs that break too easily? Once it is broken, it is a free for all.
Is there shell left? If so, you could test it to see how strong it is.

 

[aart]

How long have these two groups lived together?

How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would be most helpful.

What all and how exactly are you feeding?

 

[50-45-1]

Intrducing new chickens to a flock is sometimes a difficult process, especially more difficult if chickens are confined to a space to small. That is why it would be helpful for us to know or have a visual of your coop and run.
It does sound like one or more of your girls is laying soft shell eggs. The eggs is weak and easily broken in the nest. Once broken it is discovered as tasty by the other hens. This can lead to egg eating, something once learned hard to stop.
First priority is is fixing the soft shell issue. Some hens just need more calcium. Do you have oyster shell avaliable? You can save and dry your egg shells and crush them back to your hens but oyster shell is pretty cheep and easily offered year around in a seperate feeder. Keep it inside the coop so it stays dry. Do not add it to the feed.
In the meantime, gather your eggs often as you can to avoid the eggs from being broken.
Good luck!

 

[cmom]

Often when you move birds into a coop with birds that have been in that coop for awhile the new ones may get picked on. Hopefully you have enough space so the younger birds can escape from the older ones. They usually work it out but some can be bullies. It's hard to say about the eggs. If there are some thin shell ones, they can easily get broken and the birds will go nuts for the broken egg. If you aren't, give them some oyster shells. You can put them in a side dish or in their feed, which I do but many people are opposed to this way but it works for me and the birds take what they want. I also have golf balls in the nest boxes and some of the birds have pecked at the golf balls. Hopefully your camera will give you some answers. Good luck and have fun...

 

[ChickenApple]

I think the soft shell may be part of it (the new layers still lay on the floor) but I did find one in the nesting box that was not a thin shell and the shell was still there just coated in shavings. I do offer oyster shells and am feeding good quality pellets. They have a huge fenced in run and the coop is large. I don't know the dimensions but I will get them later when I go out to check in on them. Thanks for the advice and suggestions. I may look at investing in one of the nesting boxes that is tilted so the eggs roll into a tray.

 

[DellaMyDarling]

What sort of behaviors are you seeing between hens?
Much of what we perceive as bullying is actually normal chicken behavior and communication.

Egg eating though...Got one of those myself.