New Layer- Rubber Eggs and Egg Eaters

[GirlsMommy18]

Try putting some bedding in the rollout trays until they get used to using them,
then slowly remove the bedding.

Give them some animal protein...that's why they want the cat food, tho it's not real good for them.

I just added a bit of the old nesting material back, hopefully they go back to the nests now.

The table scraps are mainly meat and dairy. Yesterday it was catfish, mac n cheese, hotdogs, mixed veggies, and a bit of yogurt. My daughter is an extremely picky eater, they basically get her meals plus whatever is left from the leftovers the day before. Most of it is animal protein since that's all I can get my daughter to eat. Plenty of cheese, various meats, and yogurt.

 

[Folly's place]

You may have a bird who's decided to be a selective eater too, and unbalance her diet herself, given the choices offered.
Mary

 

[aart]

You may have a bird who's decided to be a selective eater too, and unbalance her diet herself, given the choices offered.
Mary

Yeah, I'd cut out most those scraps...she needs to eat enough of the layer to get the vitamins/minerals/amino acids to effectively 'use' the calcium.

 

[ShellyBlanco]

This year is my first time raising chickens. Right now I have 10 RIRs, 8 of them are laying I am assuming, since I am up to 8 eggs per day. We feed Organic Layer Pellets or Crumble (they seem to be more satisfied and gung-ho on the crumble) about 1/2 cup per chicken in the a.m. Free range at least 6 hours (usually more) a day on 1 acre and we give them snacks from the garden in the afternoon. We have a coop with actually 8 nesting boxes in the upper loft. There is usually one egg at 7:30 when we go out to let them out of the loft and feed them. At first, we were finding eggs everywhere in the coop, from supply shelves to the ground floor, even one on the ladder to the loft. They have been laying since 8/2 and at this point, they wait in line throughout the day for their two favorite boxes to lay in. The egg shells are nice and hard, so no problems with rubber eggs. I check on our chickens several times a day, so I collect as I go. One day there was an egg on the ladder and when one of the hens came out of the loft she knocked it on down the ladder and it cracked open. Yes, my chickens went nuts and ate it like they hadn't been fed in weeks and all I could think was "you little cannibals". But I am thankful, it did not carry over into them looking at their eggs as food. I have no Roo, but the girls seem to care about their eggs, rolling them around in the nest and making the nest just so. We have noticed that our chickens have their own little mind and we deal with their behaviors individually. In your case, give them some time, spend more time with them and observe what is going on. Maybe some of your girls are not getting to eat because of pecking order. Good luck.

 

[Folly's place]

Shelly, are your birds cleaning up their feed every day? If yes, they need more feed! Free choice crumble or pellets, not doled out.
Mary

 

[GirlsMommy18]

Well, good news and bad news. It seems that the membrane is getting thicker every egg at least. Bad news, the others got to it before me. More good/bad news, it might not be the hens eating my dissapearing shelled eggs after all. Though I have had a couple peck cracks on some of the eggs too, the stray cat I've been feeding heard a hen lay an egg this morning and he raced into the coop. I got him out fast and shoo'd him away, the little turd. So if I can get the hens to lay in the roll away bins, that problem may be solved too. So far 1 of 3 hens has laid in the bin today, so it's a start at least.

 

[Folly's place]

I had rats eating eggs last year, and then smaller chickens at night Do you have any signs of rodents out there? That seems like a more likely target for a cat.
Mary

 

[GirlsMommy18]

I had rats eating eggs last year, and then smaller chickens at night Do you have any signs of rodents out there? That seems like a more likely target for a cat.
Mary

No rodents really since the cat moved into the yard. We have a huge stray and feral problem in our neighborhood that keeps everything but the possums and racoons away for the most part. My bantam OEGB eggs are so far the only ones to go missing, so it would be a nice bite size for him.

There definitely wasn't a rat there at the time, I was in the coop. He heard the egg hit the carpeted pan and made a dash straight for the nest bin. I couldn't believe how fast he was there either. I suspect he's the egg thief, but the girls are definitely responsible for devouring the rubber eggs. Now I'm not quiet sure what to do with our little 'Bandit' issue though. (Cat's name is Bandit fittingly enough) Any idea if cats like mustard?

 

[Folly's place]

I bet your cat won't like mustard at all! You could also spray the egg shell (carefully marked so you don't eat them!) with something like 'Bitter Apple' spray from the pet store.
Mary

 

[GirlsMommy18]

Well, if anyone ever has a cat egg thief, mustard is a no-no. It's mildly toxic.

Cayenne pepper on the coop floor/enterance is apparently a great deterrent for cats, racoons, and rats however. Giving the cayenne a shot, hopefully it'll work and he'll stay out. If not, to the pet store it is! Little poop.

I'm relieved I probably won't be eating my hen anytime soon though! As long as she sticks to rubber eggs only.