Naughty hen

[jhampton425]

Hello I am new to BYC and to raising chickens in general. One of my girls decided she no longer wants to lay in the nest box. Instead, she made her own nest. Normally I don't mind hunting for eggs but, my other hen breaks and I assume eats the egg. I have heard this is a hard behavior to break. She only destroys the egg that is outside of the nest box. Any ideas? I hate seeing so many eggs wasted.

Thank you!!!!

 

[Molpet]

the existing nest box may be private so the eggeater doesn't see the eggs as much...if it's not try adding some privacy to the existing box for the one who lays outside of it
golf balls or fake eggs where the hen lays may hep teach the egg eater that eggs hurt
usually egg eating is a need for protein issue, so try adding some meat to the diet
my hens have been making new nests right before they think about going broody

 

[Pendragonz]

Hello I am new to BYC and to raising chickens in general. One of my girls decided she no longer wants to lay in the nest box. Instead, she made her own nest. Normally I don't mind hunting for eggs but, my other hen breaks and I assume eats the egg. I have heard this is a hard behavior to break. She only destroys the egg that is outside of the nest box. Any ideas? I hate seeing so many eggs wasted.

Thank you!!!!

 

[SunflowerTheBun]

the existing nest box may be private so the eggeater doesn't see the eggs as much...if it's not try adding some privacy to the existing box for the one who lays outside of it
golf balls or fake eggs where the hen lays may hep teach the egg eater that eggs hurt
usually egg eating is a need for protein issue, so try adding some meat to the diet
my hens have been making new nests right before they think about going broody 

Hello!
I agree - you should put golf balls (hens think they look like eggs) in the nest to teach the hen that this is the correct place to lay. (this is also used to try to get a hen to go broody)

 

[aart]

Quote:

Hello I am new to BYC and to raising chickens in general. One of my girls decided she no longer wants to lay in the nest box. Instead, she made her own nest. Normally I don't mind hunting for eggs but, my other hen breaks and I assume eats the egg. I have heard this is a hard behavior to break. She only destroys the egg that is outside of the nest box. Any ideas? I hate seeing so many eggs wasted.

Thank you!!!!

Fake eggs and/or golf balls in the nests can entice them to lay in the nests...as long as nests are adequate to begin with.
Easy to reach, nicely sized, etc.

More info on the situation might help....how many and how old are birds, pics of nests and coop, etc.
Are the eggs thin shelled?
Are layers new to laying?
Is feed providing enough protein and calcium?

 

[jhampton425]

Hello my birds are 9 months. My buff always laid in her nestbox until she went broody a few times and now she lays where she pleases. I would say her egg shells do seem a bit thin. I have 3 birds.
Thanks

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello

my birds are 9 months. My buff always laid in her nestbox until she went broody a few times and now she lays where she pleases. I would say her egg shells do seem a bit thin. I have 3 birds.
Thanks

Hello and welcome to BYC!

Make sure your nest boxes are very clean and bug free. If they get too messy for the hens, and sometimes they appear clean but the hen doesn't think so, LOL, they will stop using the nest boxes. So you might give them a thorough cleaning and dusting for bugs and such.

As for thin eggshells, this can stem from Coccidiosis, problems with her eggshell gland or maybe just a lack of calcium. You could try using some human Caltrate on her. Break a pill in half and give her half a pill a day. I break this half down further and put the pieces in raisins. They don't know they are being medicated. If the thinner shells are from a lack of calcium or she can't absorb it well, this will help her greatly.

Does she have any whitish diarrhea? This can indicate Coccidiosis and this can make eggshells thin. You might get them on some Corid if this is the case.

Enjoy your birds and good luck!