My hen started eating her eggs. What do I do?

[cocopop]

I have a serama hen about 1 year old and I just noticed that she has been eating her eggs. I didn't notice this behavior until owning her for 6 months. At first I thought was not getting a balanced diet, so I feed them a mixture of grains, layer crumbles, and Nutra Blend Gold to her. I also feed Kale, Spinach, and Dandelion to supplement. I also gave her some calcium like crushed oyster shells but it made no difference. She is eating them shortly after she lays them.

Is there any way to remedy this problem?

What should I do?

Please help!

 

[Mountain Peeps]

This is a hard habit to stop.

Here is a good link on how to help stop them.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/six-tips-on-breaking-your-egg-eater
Good luck!

 

[cocopop]

Thanks for the reply Mountain Peeps

 

[aart]

I'd start with giving more animal protein.....and look at your overall protein levels in your feeding regime.
Any dietary change will take time to have an effect. Meanwhile try to get her eggs away from her as soon as possible so she can't eat them.

Are her eggs thin shelled and breaking easily? A broken egg if fair game fro them eating it IMO.

They should always have calcium available.

I like to feed an 'all flock' 20% protein crumble to all ages and genders. Makes life much simpler to store and distribute one type of chow that everyone can eat and have calcium available at all times for the layers, oyster shell mixed with rinsed, dried, crushed chicken egg shells in a separate container.

The higher protein crumble offsets the 8% protein scratch grains and other kitchen/garden scraps I like to offer.

 

[cocopop]

Thanks for all the advise. I will definitely try it. The only challenge would be getting the eggs before the hen eats them. For awhile the egg shell was pretty thin. I think that is where she got a taste of it and developed a habit. The only thing is she eats it as soon as she lays the egg. The fooled me the last time when I thought she was going to lay it around 10am like she usually does and then she fooled me and layed it around 3pm. I rushed to get it once I noticed it and she already ate it. I will have to listen for any clues. I will try the oyster shell and egg shell mix and make sure the Purina layena crumble has enough protein.

 

[aart]

Thanks for all the advise. I will definitely try it. The only challenge would be getting the eggs before the hen eats them. For awhile the egg shell was pretty thin. I think that is where she got a taste of it and developed a habit. The only thing is she eats it as soon as she lays the egg. The fooled me the last time when I thought she was going to lay it around 10am like she usually does and then she fooled me and layed it around 3pm. I rushed to get it once I noticed it and she already ate it. I will have to listen for any clues. I will try the oyster shell and egg shell mix and make sure the Purina layena crumble has enough protein.

I think Layena is 16% protein...I'd give her some additional protein, animal protein like meat scraps, meal worms, etc. Get a cheap soup bone from the butcher, cut most the fat off, give her some animal protein and something else to peck at besides her eggs.

Is the Nutra Blend Gold you're feeding the pigeon feed? Couldn't find an ingredient/nutrition listing on that.

Also wonder about her environment, housing, companions, etc......stress can cause egg eating also.

Roll away nests could be an option also.