How to deter pecking?

[melodyrg]

I want to put some foam pads on the bottom of my wooden nest boxes to keep the eggs from being cracked as usually more than half of them are. I know that they'll probably pick at it, how do i keep them from that? Is there anything I can put over it? Thanks so much in advance!

 

[Percheron chick]

They will pick at it. There is something fascinating to chickens about foam. Go to your local hard ware store and get a few feet of indoor/outdoor carpet. Cut it down into small squares that fit in the bottom of the box. Put your straw over that. Easy to clean too.

The cracking is probably happening in the laying process. It's going to have more to do with the diet so up the Ca for starters even if they are on a complete layer.

 

[melodyrg]

I always put out oyster shell free choice, but they just knock it over in a matter of seconds how should I give it to them?

 

[Percheron chick]

If it's chunky, throw it out in the run and let them scratch for it. If you don't have a heavy weighted bowl, put it in a XL dog bowl or feed pan and let them stand in it and scratch. They are probably tying to scratch in it when they dump the bowl. If these are first time layers, the cracking will correct itself with time.