Mustard in Egg

[Akane]

I do think nutritional deficiency could add to egg eating. When an animal is lacking something they start trying to eat all sorts of random items to get what they need. You'll even see it in people and is considered a main cause of pica. It's entirely possible that in their search for calcium or protein a hen might peck an egg, break it, and whether it satisfies their need or not decide they are good to eat. Feeding them extra protein or calcium may also help lessen the behavior after it starts even if it doesn't stop it completely because they are no longer looking for something they aren't getting. I think the same applies to feather picking. While there could be other causes too low of protein could most definitely contribute.

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
That makes perfect sense, to us, although I dont believe there is any evidence to support it. None that I've seen, anyway.

The chicken itself doesnt know it is lacking protein (or anything, for that matter), so is unlikely to single out an egg as a source of that nutrient.

Again, plausible, but unsupported.

 

[dirtdoctor]

One solution to egg eating is to hide the eggs from view.

So, how is this accomplished? you tack a piece of cloth or tarp, on the entrance of the nest. not totally covering the opening but enough where the hen will "duck" under the cloth and then sit and lay. The next bird comes along will not "stoop" down to look in to see the eatable treat. You don't cover the whole opening.. just most of it from the top down.

good luck

 

[norcal]

Two more eggs IN the nest box!!! Woohoo! No egg behind the waterer, no pecks.

Thanks everybody.

 

[chookchick]

Well you don't have the only crazy chicken to eat a mustard egg! I finally figured out yesterday that I must have egg eaters--I would see hens on the nest, go back later, and nothing....There was also the weird intense way that two of them were watching a third lay. Put a mustard egg in this morning, and this evening there was only a small pile of mustard

And one of the worst offenders appears to be my favorite--calm, sweet Cleopatra

. Time to do some nestbox modification.

 

[Akane]

The chicken itself doesnt know it is lacking protein (or anything, for that matter), so is unlikely to single out an egg as a source of that nutrient.

The chicken doesn't have to know what it's lacking or that the egg would solve it. That's part of the problem with picas. Animals or people start eating random things because they just know they need something and don't know what would solve it. Then sometimes their body will recognize that something they tried worked or they'll just get in a habit of eating something even if it doesn't help. It goes on until both the nutritional deficiency is solved and the habit is broken. A hen does not have to know it's lacking protein or calcium. It just has to have a hunger for something and happen to try pecking an egg while pecking everything else.​

 

[norcal]

Quote:
YES! My least mature hen was that way. gggrrrr, I eventually stood in the coop while one hen was trying to lay. I repeatedly put the layer in the nest box but she refused, kept going back to her spot behind the waterer. Anyhow, the immature hen would literally put her HEAD down by the layers butt and WATCH. I shoo'd the immature hen away multiple times.

I don't know if she was the instigating egg eater, but it was suspicious.

 

[chookchick]

Okay here's the funny part--I did find the other half of the mustard egg today in the run, it was almost like they hid it, then put it back in the same place! I do think they are messing with my head! But, when I did a once over last night--they drank A LOT of water, emptied 2 out of 3 waterers! Serves them right, the little buggers. On the good side, I got three eggs today, even though no one was home all day to check. So maybe, they are just eating the softer shell ones. There are absolutely no egg shells, wetness, nothing, but a lot of checking out the nest box and hopping in and out of it.

ETA-I am going to start giving them washed cottage cheese again tomorrow, and buy a high quality layer food for their next bag. Keep us posted on your progress Norcal.

 

[Davaroo]

Quote:
The chicken doesn't have to know what it's lacking or that the egg would solve it. That's part of the problem with picas. Animals or people start eating random things because they just know they need something and don't know what would solve it. Then sometimes their body will recognize that something they tried worked or they'll just get in a habit of eating something even if it doesn't help. It goes on until both the nutritional deficiency is solved and the habit is broken. A hen does not have to know it's lacking protein or calcium. It just has to have a hunger for something and happen to try pecking an egg while pecking everything else.

In other words the egg is there, so it is fair game. That is considered to be one contributing factor to egg eating. Chickens are not renowned for sentimentality, after all.

The old recommendation to hang a curtain over the nest entrance goes a long way toward helping in this regard, since a chicken wont peck at what it cannot see.

 

[write2caroline]

How would sour work if they can tolerate Apple Cidar Vinegar in their water?

what about rigging one of those angled boards under your nest box that gently rolls the eggs out. - Oh, I just remembered that you said they are not laying in the nest box.

What about having other treats available in the tractor and see if you can distract them with cabbage or yogurt and get them wanting out of the coop so you have a chance to collect the eggs. I just was thinking that if they were distracted by something better they might leave them alone.

I guess if your spending money on feed and they are eating their own eggs - it might be better to send the lot to freezer camp and start over with new chicks, especially if you can't identify the offender but now all of them are doing it and it may be hard to stop them. Sort of like how it is possible to prevent your first kid from eating candy but they get older and you finally let them have it and you have a second kid - it becomes impossible to keep that second kid out of the sweets once they have tasted the good stuff!

Cal
Jax FL