How to nip egg eating in the bud

[Stiggy]

Hi everyone, Although I have owned and bred chickens for over 14 years I have never had to deal with egg eaters before so I wouldn't have a clue, any suggestions?

Background story

About 2 weeks ago I was given/ I rescued a nice white Frizzle pullet from going to the curry farm, she isn't laying yet but cannot be far from it. She is quite mental and is not used to dogs/ humans at all and flys off in a huff when anyone goes near her ( she is getting better though) Today when I went to collect the eggs ( expecting 3-4 there were 7) there were to many for the small container I had taken out so I went inside to get a bigger one, when I came back I found her eating one of the eggs, which had until them been fine with no damage to it at all. Anyways I wasn't impressed, tiffed her out of the hen house and took all the eggs inside. Now I have the dilemma of what to do, I do not want her eating my fertile eggs, nor do I want her teaching my others bad habbits.

Any suggestions/ feed back/ advice would be wonderful
Thanks

 

[Lelilamom]

Sorry to say, but the only method I've read that is tried and true is to cull.

We had a RIR roo that was eating our eggs - ALL 20 eggs every morning. We tried separating him from the egg layers, putting golf balls in the nests, spraying jalapeno syrup on the nests, spreading mustard on the eggs, etc. Nothing worked. If we didn't collect the eggs for a day, he'd leave them alone. Once he saw us coming to the coop, he'd race into the coop and start pecking all the eggs. I'd open the door to the boxes and he'd be in there with yolk all over his beak and face.

 

[shmeggs]

I had this problem awhile back, I had recently changed to a cheaper feed and it didn't meet their needs. I went back to the feed I used originally was using , I haven't had that problem since.

 

[boyswillbeboys]

I had a few broken and eaten eggs, I don't know if they were being pecked open or not, but my solution has been to collect more often, and so far so good. I have about 20 laying right now.

 

[Stiggy]

Thanks guys, I will keep an eye out, she isn't destined to be culled just yet but if she does it again she will. I talked to my mother who said the same, and her friend said sometimes it just happens once, but no to be naieve, either way I will get the pot out. @shmeggs I did think it could have been that so I have upped their calcium again, currently they are on the best feed with lots of extras so there shouldn't be a problem with that or bordem which ive been told is another factor

 

[Stiggy]

Just an update, The pullet is doing well and is currently living at my BF's on their farm because they lost some of their chickens and didn't get round to getting more so they offered to look after 2 of mine and she loves it there. After getting caught the once and tiffed out of the nest box she hasn't done it again ( I think I frightened the s*** out of her lol) So alls well ends well since they haven't had any problems and neither have I, plus no more eaten eggs. Thanks again guys for your ideas and thoughts