Managing Your Flock

[grammyrabbit]

My flock was amazing at giving me eggs, then a hawk killed one. The entire flock was in an uproar. Since then they are not laying much of anything. One of my chickens started eating the few eggs we got. Could they be reacting to the attack of the hawk? It's been about a month since the incident.

 

[5SweetChicks]

They could have been shaken up about it. The hen eating the eggs may be eating all the eggs being laid. That could be why there isn't many eggs.

 

[grammyrabbit]

Would she eat egg shells and all?

 

[sumi]

Predator attacks, especially in front of the flock, can be traumatic for chickens and the resulting stress can throw them off laying for awhile. The egg eater will have to be stopped asap though. Here are some tips:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/six-tips-on-breaking-your-egg-eater

To answer your question, when chickens eat eggs they do eat the shells as well as the contents.

 

[Mrs. K]

While they may be upset for a few days, not a month, something else is the problem.

Mrs K