Nest box hogging and broken eggs

[lolly 1]

hi guys, I have a sussex cross who started laying about 2 months ago. For the last few days she has taken up residence in the nest box with or without eggs under her. Also the nest box beside her has the inside of an egg in it, yolk and white, I can encourage her out of the nest box but she doesn't stay out long. 2 days in a row we have the egg without the shell in the nest box beside her, is she or one of the others eating the egg, is she broody or impacted? Any advice welcome. She is on layers feed.

 

[Judy]

Broodies stay in the nest day and night, usually growl when you reach for them and peck at you if you get too close. They will often flatten themselves out if you pick them up and place them on the ground.

The egg without shell is not the product of egg eating because you would not find the insides. You might not even find the broken shell. It sounds like someone is laying it this way, or with a very soft shell. They could have a defective shell gland or they could just need more clacium. Is your feed a bit musty or otherwise suspect or old? Did you just change to layer? Have they both been laying for two months? If one just started, the odd eggs could be because of that, as they tend to lay some odd eggs for a few weeks or so when they first start laying.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/broody-hens

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/common-egg-quality-problems

 

[lolly 1]

Broodies stay in the nest day and night, usually growl when you reach for them and peck at you if you get too close.  They will often flatten themselves out if you pick them up and place them on the ground.

The egg without shell is not the product of egg eating because you would not find the insides.  You might not even find the broken shell.  It sounds like someone is laying it this way, or with a very soft shell.  They could have a defective shell gland or they could just need more clacium.  Is your feed a bit musty or otherwise suspect or old?  Did you just change to layer?    Have they both been laying for two months?  If one just started, the odd eggs could be because of that, as they tend to lay some odd eggs for a few weeks or so when they first start laying.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/broody-hens

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/common-egg-quality-problems

Thanks for that. We change to layers about a month ago, the feed should be fine, only a month old in a sealed container. We kept whooshing her out of nest box throughout the day and after 2 days she seems back to normal no, but the broken egg thing is persisting. We know she has laid normal eggs before. We have had no eggs from 7 chickens in a week, but have found remnants of egg white in nest box. Think you might be right about another hen laying soft shelled eggs as the was a bit of egg shell left in nest box and it was weakish. We have put oyster shell out now as you suggested lack of calcium, would be interesting to see if it works. They must have been eating the eggs tho as we are finding remnants of the white and as I said a a small bit of shell. Our daylight hours changed drastically a week ago as the clock went back an hour, we know this has messed them up a bit as we have had to open the electronic door a good few times to let the stragglers in, could that have anything to do with it, an hours less daylight?