Hens Eating Eggs

[spitfirecream15]

Quote: Yeah, if you have good company cleaning eggs is not so bad. And I LOVE cleaning eggs with my Gramma!!!! I love home-grown eggs from my backyard flock so it's a very little price to pay, cleaning eggs. It is so sad that the egg laying industry has become so HUGE and industrial. From the way the raise the hens to the way they feed and keep them is sad.

 

[spitfirecream15]

I had to start using a roll away nest because i had a rooster who developed a taste for eggs.......

that's my problem, an instigating rooster who loves eating eggs.

 

[enola]

that's my problem, an instigating rooster who loves eating eggs. 

His bad habit got him cooked for dinner, but I still use my roll away nests!

 

[spitfirecream15]

oh oh. my gramma had a rooster that was really mean, one day i went down to the chickens to feed the chickens and this rooster lept off the top of the chicken coop, landed on my arm, and took a big chunk of out my hand! I still have the scar. when I told gramma his life was over. she butchered him and made him for dinner the next night.

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

Do they have enough space? Boredom can be a big problem, and also make sure their diet is good. Layer pellets, oyster shell and grit in separate containers, unfrozen water all the time. Minimal stress in general. Darker nest boxes, enough for the number of hens you have. Then figure out who's breaking the eggs, and move her elsewhere. Once the eggs are broken, everyone will eat them. The culprit is the bird who first opens the eggs. Good luck, Mary

If you can find the culprit, cull it, and make it a meal. My understanding is the one doing that, once started, will never stop.

 

[spitfirecream15]

Just a quick update: I already have almost 2 dozen from them, they've been getting sand and treats and lots of time outside, it's been warm here lately, so all I need to do is fix up the roll away nests and I should be good to go. Thanks for all the help and suggestions. Oh I'm vegetarian so I can't have a chicken dinner But I can confine the ones that are at fault. I think I have 2 that are still going at it, this morning I found them goin' at it but I was able to rescue the 2 eggs before they ate them, if they continue I will have to do something with them, though. Thanks again.
spitfirecream15

 

[duluthralphie]

Just a quick update: I already have almost 2 dozen from them, they've been getting sand and treats and lots of time outside, it's been warm here lately, so all I need to do is fix up the roll away nests and I should be good to go. Thanks for all the help and suggestions. Oh I'm vegetarian so I can't have a chicken dinner But I can confine the ones that are at fault. I think I have 2 that are still going at it, this morning I found them goin' at it but I was able to rescue the 2 eggs before they ate them, if they continue I will have to do something with them, though. Thanks again.
spitfirecream15

Glad you found the criminals! Good luck on them

 

[hens4life]

Make sure they have lots of oyster shells if they are laying age. And if this still doesn't help, then take an egg that they layed, poke one small hole in the top and bottom of the egg and blow all of the egg white and yoke out. Then fill the egg with French Mustard! They will peck the egg and get into the mustard, they absolutely HATE the taste of mustard! Put the egg where u r sure they will peck at it and watch as your problem will go away

 

[CoopHome Judie]

I have 23 hens, 14 of which are of laying age. I cut back on their "snacks" (lettuce, corn etc) because we had an egg eater among them and they weren't eating much feed. I have crushed oyster shells on spots too but they aren't very interested in it. Literally overnight everyone is now eating eggs. We saved 4 yesterday and they were crawling all over each other when trying to lay. We redesigned boxes and made them rollaway but only 3 will attempt to lay in it. The others are laying in front of the boxes and if you aren't paying attention and get the eggs right away, they are getting eaten. I don't even know where the others are laying but I assume the eggs are being eaten immediately. Suggestions? Will they get used to the box or will they keep refusing to try it?

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! Unfortunately, egg eating will be learned by more hens by example from the first culprit. If you have thin shelled eggs, fixing the diet will help that problem. Watch the birds, and remove the one(s) who have egg yolk on their face. Try separating those hens first, and see if their flockmates aren't opening the eggs. Any bird will eat an egg that's already opened. Some people have had success blowing out a few eggs and filling them with mustard or something. I never tried that, I've just eliminated egg eating hens. Mary