My hen is eating her own eggs.

[lumom04]

I am a newcomer to the backyard poultry raising field. Loving it, but all of a sudden the oldest chicken which was given to me last year has started eating her own eggs. She didn't do this when I first got her and lays some jumbo sized eggs. Two weeks ago I noticed she was antsy in her cage, went to check on her and found yolk all over her beak. I immediately started researching online options to stop this. I've been told golf balls in the house will work....one didn't so I put 5 in there and this morning as soon as she laid her egg she destroyed it.
I give her sufficient food, table scraps, oyster shells, grit you name it but nothing is stopping her. Can anyone give me some advice here?

Thanks
Debbie

 

[Opa]

Breaking a hen from egg eating is a difficult and sometime impossible task. The best solution is to switch to a rollout nest box that takes the eggs away from her.

 

[For The Love of Peeps]

Hi Debbie,

My hen was doing the same thing. After about 2-3 days of golf balls and ostyer shells mine quit eating her eggs. Hopefully some "experts" will weigh in on this.

 

[Judy]

Opa is probably as expert as any on this. He has a plan for rollaway nest boxes on here, with pics. I've read that blown out, mustard filled eggs has sometimes worked. Hot sauce won't work.

 

[sunnysilkie]

An egg probably cracked and she got curious. Keep her away from the other eggs (so she doesn't destroy them too) until she has stopped.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Agreed. Either roll away beds to protect the eggs, or you'll likely facing having to cull her.

 

[Squirrelgirl88]

Wow - cull her. Does she get a jury trial first? I understand trying to deter it, but it was HER egg after all.

Good luck with your hen.

 

[Opa]

Quote:
Maybe it's because I'm a grumpy old rooster but the way I look at it is that once it leaves her butt it is no longer "her egg" it's MINE. I have designed a two nest rollout nest box that if you email me I will send you the plans. I also designed a 6 nest box that is located at this link. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=287684

 

[Fred's Hens]

Cull means to remove. It does not ALWAYS mean to kill, although it often understood that way.

Those who wish to feed hens who eat eggs may do so. It is a free country. That she might also "teach" or encourage others to do so is also a risk others may take.
Me? Not so much.

 

[allpeepedout]

I read on a university extension site to give bowls of milk for a few days to break egg eating. Perhaps some types of calcium are better assimilated than others. I had one egg eaten and no more after giving milk.