Long awaited egg...broken!

[LCEchickens]

I have 3 BR pullets that are almost 20 weeks old and 1 WR hen. Our hen always lays in the nest box. She didn't even stop when we modified her coop, added to it and moved the nest boxes to another location in the coop. This morning I found a broken egg underneath where the hen roosts, the shell had been played with, but nothing was eaten (that I could tell). At first I thought she might have laid while roosting, but I think it is more likely it is a pullet egg...The shell seemed a bit thinner than the hen's normal eggs. I didn't do anything to "train" the pullets to the nest boxes. They have been living with the hen since June and have seen her lay eggs in the nest boxes and as far as I can tell, they never bothered her eggs. So what do you think? Am I going to have an egg eating issue or do you think once the shells get a bit thicker, they will leave them alone? It's just such a let down to wait so long for that first egg from chicks you raised, only to find it broken!! Thank you!!

 

[allpeepedout]

Sounds normal, from what I read and my experience. I had several issues when mine started laying at 19 wks. Three rubber eggs, a couple eaten, a couple cracked, several laid on floor... within 2 weeks they settled in and now all lay nicely in nest boxes, and I have had 6-egg days from my 6 pullets. I gave extra and alternative sources of calcium (milk). Give it some time until they and their bodies figure out what they are doing.

I have read that it can be normal for hens to peck eggs, which may be the source of the cracks. If it breaks, it's not viable, so best to eat. A little egg-eating in the beginning has not not turn out to be the disaster that it apparently can become.

 

[LCEchickens]

Thank you! I feel better now... I had just read so many horror stories about egg eating! It's very possible that my hen pecked at it and broke it open. I have seen her peck her own eggs many times. Hopefully the little girls will get the hang of things soon! Thanks again for the response!

 

[allpeepedout]

Good luck and do add a generous alternative source of calcium.