Laying on the coop floor & eating the eggs!

[MandiRock]

Okay two of my five girls have turned over to the dark side and started egg eating. To combat, I had a new nest box built with a slanted floor and a partition to block them from getting to the eggs. I installed it yesterday morning. I also picked them up some oyster shell in case they were lacking calcium.

Based on what I've found in the coup yesterday and today, two of the hens are laying in the nest box and three have decided to lay on the coop floor instead. Of course, the floor eggs are being eaten.

Now I know they say if you want them to lay in the nest box, leave an egg (real or fake) in there, but I don't know how to do that since I've got a slanted floor! I think they are wanting bedding to lay on (I lined the nest box with carpet) but again, the floor is slanted so I don't know how to get that in there either.

Ideas?

 

[HEChicken]

I hate to be the one to tell you, but it is really hard to discourage an egg eater because what they've discovered is that eggs are yummy - and they're going to want to continue to have access to them. Most people in the end find that culling is the only option. Also, you might want to consider this step sooner rather than later, because it is a learned behavior. The ones who are not currently egg eating will learn from those that are, until eventually you have a coop full of egg eaters.