Kudraridge here! We have a mixed flock of 23 mostly Americana. How can I stop hens from eating eggs?

Welcome to BYC. Sometimes, not always, you will find a thin shelled egg can cause opportunistic egg eaters- meaning they don't intentionally break and eat the eggs, but if it breaks easily, they will clean it up.
If your hen intentionally breaks and eats eggs, you will probably have to get a roll away type nest.
 
IMG_0490.jpeg
 
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow

Definitely follow the link @N F C has left to a great article on discouraging egg eating. I had a horrible issue with egg eating in my flock years ago. I hung dark curtains over the nest boxes, a slit in the middle for the hens to slip through, I kept fake eggs in the boxes at all times. The dark boxes kept birds from cruising for snacks and the fake eggs helped teach them eggs are impenetrable. After a couple weeks, I never had another egg eaten.

(There are 2 boxes here, I peeled up inside so you can see the box, hen slips through front)
c2a3b943-8ae7-4bcf-b22f-6790dc50e03a-1_all_494.jpg


c2a3b943-8ae7-4bcf-b22f-6790dc50e03a-1_all_495.jpg


c2a3b943-8ae7-4bcf-b22f-6790dc50e03a-1_all_985.jpg
 
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.

Egg eating can happen by accident and then can be learned by others so nipping it in the bud early is best. Collect eggs frequently, put fake eggs in the box and blow out a few eggs and inject hot mustard into the shells and put them out. Eventually, they will lose any reward for pecking at the eggs and stop.
You may also need to determine if you have one laying shell-less or soft shelled eggs that are easily breaking.
 
I love my homemade roll away nest boxes, I have a egg eater and caught her one day trying to roll the eggs back in the nest. I solved that making the egg collecting area deeper, now she peeks into the opening but cant reach em. :D
Hi , could we please get a picture of this?
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom