My Chickens are Eating there own Eggs!

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

I had this trouble all last year when an older hen starting laying yolks only, unable to put a shell on. Chickens went nuts over all eggs!!

Here's what I did to stop them. I hung curtains over the nest boxes. This does a few things...it keeps them dark so that after a hen lays an egg, she leaves it alone since she doesn't see it too well...it stops other hens from cruising for eggs on the outside of the boxes....and it creates and atmosphere of quiet. After a short spell, this completely stopped all my egg eating issues.

Hang some thick curtains over the front of the boxes with just a slit in the center. You may need to pull this open a tad at first until they get used to going in. Once they do, they will figure out how to beak open the slit and get into lay their eggs.

Also, ALWAYS keep fake eggs in the boxes. Not golf balls and hens are smarter than this, but real looking ceramic eggs. One in each box. This will help in that they are impenetrable. The hens will play with these at first and this is good. This will help to teach them eggs can't be broken into. Collect your eggs as often as possible at first to prevent any more issues or breaking.

Good luck and I hope you can get this solved soon!!