My chickens are eating their eggs. What should I do?

[MaryTheChickenLover]

Every time I go to gather my eggs there are usually a bunch of chickens sitting around eating them. I am not going to cull any of my chickens as they are dear pets to me, but I need eggs. What should I do?

 

[Duckbreeder2020]

Every time I go to gather my eggs there are usually a bunch of chickens sitting around eating them. I am not going to cull any of my chickens as they are dear pets to me, but I need eggs. What should I do?

There is a special 300$ nesting box that we bought it fits like 20-30 chickens at a time and fits 50 eggs. And once they lay the eggs the eggs roll into a tray so the chickens can’t get to them

 

[Fluffs_flock]

Otherwise you can make them, just use a paint tray (so they roll) and a cover large enough for the eggs but deep enough the chickens can't get to them.
Otherwise, putting in golf balls sometimes works, or filling an egg with something gross. I've heard mustard, but my chickens like that?
I hope this helps!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Sounds like one taught the others. I can be a nutrition problem if they need calcium or protein.

 

[MaryTheChickenLover]

Otherwise you can make them, just use a paint tray (so they roll) and a cover large enough for the eggs but deep enough the chickens can't get to them.
Otherwise, putting in golf balls sometimes works, or filling an egg with something gross. I've heard mustard, but my chickens like that?
I hope this helps!

Thanks for the idea!

 

[MaryTheChickenLover]

Sounds like one taught the others. I can be a nutrition problem if they need calcium or protein.

Thanks, I'll look into that

 

[GreenwoodChickadoodledo]

I had this problem. I put a ceramic egg in each nest box. I made curtains to help make it darker. I switched to layer feed and I feed them back their own crushed eggshells a few times a week (I also offer oyster shells). We increased the size of their run so they have more space. And we check for eggs frequently so they don't have as much of an opportunity.
I found a softshell egg on the coop floor yesterday morning and none of the chickens tried to eat it. I think it must have been the first egg for one of the hens. There are 2 hens I haven't seen in the nest box yet.

The suggestion for a paint tray?! That is a neat idea. I'm going to look into that.

 

[sourland]

Curtains on the fronts of the nest boxes sometimes helps. Rollaway nest boxes are a sure cure.

 

[AChickensBestBuddy]

I had this problem. I put a ceramic egg in each nest box. I made curtains to help make it darker. I switched to layer feed and I feed them back their own crushed eggshells a few times a week (I also offer oyster shells). We increased the size of their run so they have more space. And we check for eggs frequently so they don't have as much of an opportunity.
I found a softshell egg on the coop floor yesterday morning and none of the chickens tried to eat it. I think it must have been the first egg for one of the hens. There are 2 hens I haven't seen in the nest box yet.

The suggestion for a paint tray?! That is a neat idea. I'm going to look into that.

Great idea on the paint tray or the rollaway nesting boxes

 

[AChickensBestBuddy]

Otherwise you can make them, just use a paint tray (so they roll) and a cover large enough for the eggs but deep enough the chickens can't get to them.
Otherwise, putting in golf balls sometimes works, or filling an egg with something gross. I've heard mustard, but my chickens like that?
I hope this helps!

We tried golf balls for our ceramic eggs but they seemed to ignore them I don't know if they have to be a certain color or if they can just be the plain white ones