MIA- The Mysterious Egg Disappearance

[Seachickens13]

Hey guys, something unusual has been happening in the coop lately and I was wondering if any of you have experienced the same thing as I have. My mixed flock of white leghorns and Rhode Island reds have been laying less eggs - so I thought. The eggs are going missing from the nesting boxes! At first I thought I was seeing things but I know for a fact that this morning there were 5 eggs in one of the compartments and now there are none. There are no egg-shells in the box so I don't think it's egg eating. Does anyone know what's going on??

 

[justplainbatty]

Hey guys, something unusual has been happening in the coop lately and I was wondering if any of you have experienced the same thing as I have. My mixed flock of white leghorns and Rhode Island reds have been laying less eggs - so I thought. The eggs are going missing from the nesting boxes! At first I thought I was seeing things but I know for a fact that this morning there were 5 eggs in one of the compartments and now there are none. There are no egg-shells in the box so I don't think it's egg eating. Does anyone know what's going on??

it could very well be egg eating, they will eat the shells too. Are you supplying the hens with oyster shell every day?

 

[Seachickens13]

No, what does that do. I used to crush the (cleaned) egg shells out for them but I don't do that anymore. Now that I think about it, I saw little pieces of eggshell in the boxes. How can I stop this and where can I get oyster shells?

 

[Spartan22]

No, what does that do. I used to crush the (cleaned) egg shells out for them but I don't do that anymore. Now that I think about it, I saw little pieces of eggshell in the boxes. How can I stop this and where can I get oyster shells?

Crushed oyster shell are available @most feed store, hardware store or some pet store. I normally crushed egg shells after baking them for 5-10 min, so it changed its form, unrecognizable to them, and mixed it back to feeds.

 

[justplainbatty]

No, what does that do. I used to crush the (cleaned) egg shells out for them but I don't do that anymore. Now that I think about it, I saw little pieces of eggshell in the boxes. How can I stop this and where can I get oyster shells?

oyster shell is a form of digestible calcium for the birds. They need at least 4% calcium in their diet to form eggs without pulling calcium out of their bones to do it. Once you start giving the oyster shell every day, and collect eggs frequently, 2 or 3 times a day, they will leave the eggs alone unless they are also lacking protein. They need at least 16% protein in their daily diet. Also, to break the egg eating, switch out eggs with fake eggs or golf balls. No reward there, they should stop after a while. Oyster shell should be right near the chicken feed and grit. You do give them grit?

 

[Seachickens13]

Yes,I do. But the eggshells are appearing outside the coop. What could be doing this? Could they be carrying the shells out themselves or could a fox or weasel have gotten in? I don't know, maybe a person is moving them. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Naser]

The hens can easily take the eggshells out, actually is more likely to take them out as when hens get something delicious they normally run away with it as they know the other hens will try to take it from them, if you make the nesting boxes darker that will reduce egg eating as hens don't see well in the dark.

 

[aart]

Is there remains of the inside of the eggs in the nesting material?
If not, it's probably predator. Many different animals will steal eggs.

 

[Seachickens13]

Ok, I think the chickens are taking them out themselves as I just watched a WL run away with one of the shells, pursued by 3 others how do I stop them, apart from the oyster shell?

 

[justplainbatty]

Ok, I think the chickens are taking them out themselves as I just watched a WL run away with one of the shells, pursued by 3 others how do I stop them, apart from the oyster shell?

The little flockers!

Well, at least you know it isn't a predator! Changing the eggs out for golf balls, frequent egg collection, especially the a.m. eggs, and the oyster shell on demand should help tremendously. Other option (costs a bit) is roll away nest boxes. They can't break and eat what they can't get!