Nest curtains for egg eaters

[Cryss]

Last weekend we found a half eaten egg shell, no egg, in a nest. Couple days later a very deflated soft shell was below the roost. Two days ago we found another half eaten empty shell on the poop board.
After a bit of research we settled on an initial plan. The idea was to make it difficult for a chicken to stand outside a nest, see an egg, and be able to reach their head inside to investigate it easily. They suggested things like a perch outside the nest that would make them unbalanced if the reached down inside the nest. Sounded good but not
a solution for us. They also suggested curtains over the nests keeping the eggs out of visual sight. That sounded feasible, cool even.
I found an unused valance, attached it to the nest roof, cut a slit up through each nest doorway, and I’m in business.
I have no idea if it will work but I’ll let you know. Meanwhile check out the reactions to the new digs. I thought they were upset at first. Obviously I was wrong! They love it! Check the video I took of the antics.

 

[cavemanrich]

Couple days later a very deflated soft shell was below the roost.

Do you think, a soft shell, and egg eating may be an indication of hens wanting more calcium???
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Cryss]

Do you think, a soft shell, and egg eating may be an indication of hens wanting more calcium???
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I give back all egg shells. I cook and chop them up first so they are unrecognizable. I have a dispenser inside the coop that holds about 2 cups worth of oyster shell and I made a dispenser out of a gallon milk bottle that holds at least the same and is in the run. I keep them full.

 

[Cryss]

I also give them at least a scrambled egg every other day because one of them lays in weird places and I find small cracks upon close scrutiny.

 

[aart]

I found an unused balance

Oh, a valance!
Will you lower it down so they can't see inside?
I'd suggest some fake eggs in all the nests.

I have a dispenser inside the coop that holds about 2 cups worth of oyster shell and I made a dispenser out of a gallon milk bottle that holds at least the same and is in the run. I keep them full.

So are they eating the the OS?

 

[Cryss]

Oh, a valance!
Will you lower it down so they can't see inside?
I'd suggest some fake eggs in all the nests.

So are they eating the the OS?

DARNED AUTOCORRECTS!
Yes they are eating the OS.
I only lifted the curtains that half way for about an hour so they could see the way in and out. One of the flowers had gone in the third one on the end before I raised the curtains. She panicked a bit and struggled her way out going through the triangular opening at the top of the last nest wall and under the nest slant roof. Since lowering it they aren’t having any problems.
Actually I did have fake eggs in the second and third nests to encourage them to use them since nest #1 was the favorite. It worked although #1 is still favored. I had taken the fakes out the day before mostly because they got wise and kicked them out of bounds!
@cavemanrich I believe the reason for the soft shelled egg is because my most recent flock additions are just reaching POL age. In this last two weeks I’ve been starting getting tiny eggs from them. The soft one was up against the back wall which is just underneath where a couple of the newbies roost.
So far I haven’t found any eaten eggs but I have been collecting them more often so that could be the reason.