I think I really messed up!

[dunnmom]

I have found 3 separate eggs so far. And it seems only one is laying because one lays light brown and one light brownish pink and those are the ones I'm finding cracked open.

I see. Besides upping protein, ceramic egg decoys, or getting the eggs as soon as they're laid, I'm out of ideas.

 

[RWise]

If I suspect a hen is eating good eggs, I put her in private quarters with a good egg. If she eats said egg, she gets a dinner invite. Never have one of the girls eaten the egg.
The last one I suspected, she looked the egg over, stood beside it all day and all night, but never touched it. She did have an issue and was not laying and stopped trying.
Do the broken eggs have thin shells?

 

[aart]

Do the broken eggs have thin shells?

Key question.

My 2 older hens were laying great after a long hiatus. I moved my chicks out to the coop and no issues. I had them free ranging behind while I gave some of the chicks so boiled egg and they ran over and bullied some from them. For a while no more eggs, now the last 3 days all I have found is one empty eaten shell! One or both are eating their own eggs! I've read of this happening, but am I doomed? Can we recover from this?

Also wonder about how you added the chicks....age, timeline, etc.
How much space in coop and run, in feet by feet? Pics would help too.
Adding new birds can cause stress and anxiety, egg eating can be an anxiety behavior.

 

[careeka22]

I see. Besides upping protein, ceramic egg decoys, or getting the eggs as soon as they're laid, I'm out of ideas.

So I had separated them from the chicks in my smaller coop/run because they were being really mean to the chicks and I put them in the chicks in the big coop. Well I just put them all back together and they have laid 2 eggs, non-cracked! Only one is laying, I can tell from the egg color but hey I'll take it! I'm still thinking I'll get some plastic eggs and up protein still. Thanks

 

[careeka22]

If I suspect a hen is eating good eggs, I put her in private quarters with a good egg. If she eats said egg, she gets a dinner invite. Never have one of the girls eaten the egg.
The last one I suspected, she looked the egg over, stood beside it all day and all night, but never touched it. She did have an issue and was not laying and stopped trying.
Do the broken eggs have thin shells?

They were normal eggs, I've had one of the thin shell kinds but these were good solid shells. I just got 2 eggs on back to back days so hopefully this is the end!

 

[careeka22]

Key question.

Also wonder about how you added the chicks....age, timeline, etc.
How much space in coop and run, in feet by feet? Pics would help too.
Adding new birds can cause stress and anxiety, egg eating can be an anxiety behavior.

The egg shells were normal. I integrated slowly having the chicks in my spare coop and my hens in the large one (it's in my profile pic). We had them free ranging but after a stray got one of my hens we have now bought a 10x30 dog run. We are going to add another 4 panels to that too. Chicks were introduced around 7 weeks old, but my hens hated them especially a select few. So I swapped and put the chicks in the big coop and the hens in the smaller one. That's when the eggs started being cracked so I think you were right, it was behavioral. Kinda let my feelings get to me because they were making the chicks bleed. I just let them all in the pen together and then put them all back in the large coop and now I've had 2 un-cracked eggs back to back.

 

[careeka22]

I got 2 perfect eggs yesterday! Thanks for everyone's help.