I caught the Egg Eater

[Thunder344]

I have recently been finding egg whites in the nesting boxes where some chicken has cracked the egg and eaten it. I went back to the coop this morning, and found a egg on the ground. Makes sense, all the nesting boxes were taken. I picked up the egg and put it in one of the nesting boxes that a Easter Egger, Snow, had just gotten out of. I then picked up Star, (my favorite Faverolle girl) who was trying to get in a box. I set her in with the egg. (The egg was a Faverolle egg, very small) Star settled down on the egg and then, the next thing I know Star had gotten off the egg and her foot was covered in egg whites and the yolk. I don't know if she intentionally broke the egg or accidentally broke it, but i am leaning more to the accidentally side because she just stepped on it and broke it. Star was not eating the egg.
Once Star had jumped down, about 10 of the other chickens raced over to her and ate the egg whites and yolk off her foot. Snow ate the rest of the egg that was in the box.
Star and Snow are two of my most favorite chickens and i am NOT getting RID of them. I don't know what to do, but almost 1/3 of the chickens know what raw egg tastes like. I can't afford for them to be eating their own eggs. Any ideas on how to break the habit, or some other thing I can do? I think Star is innocent, but Snow is guilty. I have put both Star and Snow in a pet crate and have taken them with me inside to the garage where I am currently raising baby chicks. They are both laying eggs.
Any suggestions, links, etc. on how to solve this is greatly appreciated!

 

[KingD]

I have recently been finding egg whites in the nesting boxes where some chicken has cracked the egg and eaten it. I went back to the coop this morning, and found a egg on the ground. Makes sense, all the nesting boxes were taken. I picked up the egg and put it in one of the nesting boxes that a Easter Egger, Snow, had just gotten out of. I then picked up Star, (my favorite Faverolle girl) who was trying to get in a box. I set her in with the egg. (The egg was a Faverolle egg, very small) Star settled down on the egg and then, the next thing I know Star had gotten off the egg and her foot was covered in egg whites and the yolk. I don't know if she intentionally broke the egg or accidentally broke it, but i am leaning more to the accidentally side because she just stepped on it and broke it. Star was not eating the egg.
Once Star had jumped down, about 10 of the other chickens raced over to her and ate the egg whites and yolk off her foot. Snow ate the rest of the egg that was in the box.
Star and Snow are two of my most favorite chickens and i am NOT getting RID of them. I don't know what to do, but almost 1/3 of the chickens know what raw egg tastes like. I can't afford for them to be eating their own eggs. Any ideas on how to break the habit, or some other thing I can do? I think Star is innocent, but Snow is guilty. I have put both Star and Snow in a pet crate and have taken them with me inside to the garage where I am currently raising baby chicks. They are both laying eggs.
Any suggestions, links, etc. on how to solve this is greatly appreciated!

What sort of substrate is in the boxes? Also, how deep is it?
If it's just a thin layer and then solid wood then it's easy for them to tread in them and therefore cracking

 

[arwoon]

Dont let them eat more eggs, maybe they forget?

 

[Thunder344]

What sort of substrate is in the boxes? Also, how deep is it?
If it's just a thin layer and then solid wood then it's easy for them to tread in them and therefore cracking

its ah shoot i cant remember whats its called now. The nesting boxes have 2+ inches of whatever its called. Ill post what it is in the nesting boxes once i remember what it actually is.

 

[Thunder344]

Dont let them eat more eggs, maybe they forget?

The problem is with that is that i can't stop them. Once i go back and get eggs, they then lay more and eat them before i can get to them.

 

[KingD]

Ok. Just googled it and I must admit this sounds quite funny.

Google quote: Fill an empty egg with English mustard.

 

[WindingRoad]

The problem is with that is that i can't stop them. Once i go back and get eggs, they then lay more and eat them before i can get to themPut a

The problem is with that is that i can't stop them. Once i go back and get eggs, they then lay more and eat them before i can get to them.

Put a tilted board in the coop and let the eggs roll under the board where they can't reach them.

 

[aart]

I don't know if she intentionally broke the egg or accidentally broke it, but i am leaning more to the accidentally side because she just stepped on it and broke it.

Was the shell particularly thin, thus easily broken and fair game for eating?
Collect often and replace real eggs with fake ones.

 

[ChickeninSync]

I have recently been finding egg whites in the nesting boxes where some chicken has cracked the egg and eaten it. I went back to the coop this morning, and found a egg on the ground. Makes sense, all the nesting boxes were taken. I picked up the egg and put it in one of the nesting boxes that a Easter Egger, Snow, had just gotten out of. I then picked up Star, (my favorite Faverolle girl) who was trying to get in a box. I set her in with the egg. (The egg was a Faverolle egg, very small) Star settled down on the egg and then, the next thing I know Star had gotten off the egg and her foot was covered in egg whites and the yolk. I don't know if she intentionally broke the egg or accidentally broke it, but i am leaning more to the accidentally side because she just stepped on it and broke it. Star was not eating the egg.
Once Star had jumped down, about 10 of the other chickens raced over to her and ate the egg whites and yolk off her foot. Snow ate the rest of the egg that was in the box.
Star and Snow are two of my most favorite chickens and i am NOT getting RID of them. I don't know what to do, but almost 1/3 of the chickens know what raw egg tastes like. I can't afford for them to be eating their own eggs. Any ideas on how to break the habit, or some other thing I can do? I think Star is innocent, but Snow is guilty. I have put both Star and Snow in a pet crate and have taken them with me inside to the garage where I am currently raising baby chicks. They are both laying eggs.
Any suggestions, links, etc. on how to solve this is greatly appreciated!

Hi Thunder344. I just joined BYC. I am facing the same issue in one of my coops. I'm losing 1 - 3 eggs a day. The solution I am working on, for this problem, is a roll away nest box. I am making it myself, but they do have them for sale online at different sites. Check it out. Maybe it can help.

 

[Thunder344]

Ok. Just googled it and I must admit this sounds quite funny.

Google quote: Fill an empty egg with English mustard.

Yes, i have heard of that. It sounds crazy, but i have heard it works!

Was the shell particularly thin, thus easily broken and fair game for eating?
Collect often and replace real eggs with fake ones.

The shell was thin and it was a small egg.

Hi Thunder344. I just joined BYC. I am facing the same issue in one of my coops. I'm losing 1 - 3 eggs a day. The solution I am working on, for this problem, is a roll away nest box. I am making it myself, but they do have them for sale online at different sites. Check it out. Maybe it can help.

Thanks! Also,