Non stop egg eating !

[silentnanny]

I have five hens and a roo, almost two years old. Very recently they have gone nuts for eating their eggs, have stopped laying in the egg boxes, and instead laying in the coop floor under where they sleep. Most days by the time i get home and let them out of the run I find some remnants of an eggshell in the coop. I tried putting multiple empty eggs with soap and mustard, and when I find the half eaten ones I cover them in soap and mustard. Fresh coco coir nesting in their boxes with golf balls and some herbs to entice them back in the boxes but no luck. They still eat them. Even the soapy/mustard ones seem to eventually disappear. Any other ideas? Thank you so much in advance!

 

[silentnanny]

They have 20% protein feed, free range calcium and grit, fresh water, free range for an hour everyday…

 

[cherrynberry]

I have five hens and a roo, almost two years old. Very recently they have gone nuts for eating their eggs, have stopped laying in the egg boxes, and instead laying in the coop floor under where they sleep. Most days by the time i get home and let them out of the run I find some remnants of an eggshell in the coop. I tried putting multiple empty eggs with soap and mustard, and when I find the half eaten ones I cover them in soap and mustard. Fresh coco coir nesting in their boxes with golf balls and some herbs to entice them back in the boxes but no luck. They still eat them. Even the soapy/mustard ones seem to eventually disappear. Any other ideas? Thank you so much in advance!

A roll out nesting box may be a good investment, but they need to be laying in the nests in the first place. I am stumped.

@rosemarythyme Any ideas?

 

[rosemarythyme]

A roll out nesting box may be a good investment, but they need to be laying in the nests in the first place. I am stumped.

@rosemarythyme Any ideas?

x2 on the roll away nest boxes (could possibly fix both problems in one go).

Any photos of your current nest box set up?

I assume the 20% feed is available during the entire day? Or is it rationed in any way?

 

[Folly's place]

Also, is it the chickens, or do you have another critter eating those eggs? We had rats once, who ate eggs, and then also killed chickens. Any sign of an invader there?
If it is your chickens, it might be one bird who's the main culprit; try to figure it out.
Mary