Hens are pecking at eggs

[amd farm]

I have 2 plymouth barred rock hens (total hens are 5) and they seem to be the only ones doing this - after they lay their eggs they peck at them and make holes in them! I am a new chicken owner and new to this site. I have tried placing fake pullet size eggs in their nesting boxes, but this has not worked. They are all about 5 months old and are all laying! Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

[kwynn's birds Alaska]

I had the same prob with one of my hens (breed unknown.) Right now, no eggs because of molting, but I could count on one holy one a day from her. anyone have some insights for us?

 

[cmom]

I used golf balls.

 

[Lunachick]

I have a plastic eggs I use in the nest box, to deter one of my hens that started breaking her egg every morning.....I had to wait and see which one was doing it, but after analyzing the situation I think she was actually rolling it out of the box onto the floor of the coop, saw the goody inside and all four of them went for it, because I would look out to check on them and see no chickens in the run at 7:00 a.m. (?) Walk into the coop and see a crushed egg with no yolk and see four chickens standing around it.

I'm hoping the plastic egg would convince the egg breaker that it doesn't always giver her a treat and she'll get discouraged and think of something else to do.

Also I noticed that my two girls are starting to molt and I'm giving out more treats and calcium to help with the egg stealing. We'll see. If you catch them messing with an egg, take it away as soon as possible, so the eggs are not within their grasp.