One of my hens eats her eggs! What do I do??

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

Egg eating is annoying -very hard to break. But, we use fake eggs to help. We are up to 6 fake eggs per nest box right now…we have a stubborn one, but it has lessened. Collected eggs more frequently. Provide them with roosts in the run, fresh/cool water bc they will drink more water when it’s cool. Feed them a higher protein feed meant for chickens…so they are getting the right amino acids. When I give mine a treat…it is their proper feed with water added and a few seeds or bits of fruit scattered on top - that way their “treat”is not diluting their proper nutrition. You could also give vitamins in their water (NutriDrench as an example) 1x per week (or dose directly in beak 1x er week).

fake eggs is a good idea, I'll try it! Thank you!!

 

[Mrs. K]

Fake eggs and little curtains on the nest. Roll away nests are also a solution.

As to the egg quality - yes I think that is due to age, and while a good diet is important, it really won't cure old age. (I should know, haha).

This year might be a good year to add a couple of chicks to the flock, with the idea that you let the older birds go if space is a problem.

Mrs K

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

Fake eggs and little curtains on the nest. Roll away nests are also a solution.

As to the egg quality - yes I think that is due to age, and while a good diet is important, it really won't cure old age. (I should know, haha).

This year might be a good year to add a couple of chicks to the flock, with the idea that you let the older birds go if space is a problem.

Mrs K

Thanks for the reply! We actually did get some more chicks this year and we are thinking about getting rid of our two older hens as they are eating a lot and laying very little.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

We also have some egg eaters. We put fake (wood) eggs in the nest boxes and retrieve eggs as quickly as possible so they don't have much time to start pecking at them.

 

[0ddyssey]

Well, once the habit starts. Ots hard to stop. It likely got started because an egg accidentally broke, maybe one of your thin shelled ones. And someone found out it tastes good. Then that bad actor actively will break eggs on purpose for the tasty treet inside.
Darkened Nest boxes help because if they cant see it, they cant eat it
I cured a feather picker once with pinless peepers. She wore the glasses for 3 weeks, and forgot about it after they came off. These may work for egg eating also, but the challenge is to figure out who is doing it first.
I think it's natural for older hen to produce thinner shells as they age. Maybe others will have tips to get more calcium into your older hens system.
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Good Luck!

This may be a dumb question, but if they have these "pinless peepers" on, how do they eat or drink if they can't see?

You said, "Darkened Nest boxes help because if they cant see it, they cant eat it." So then, how do they eat their feed or drink their water if they can't see it?

I'm very curious because I have some egg eaters too and I'm looking for options, but never heard of these before.

 

[50-45-1]

They have enough periffial vision to find their water and feed
My feather picker had trouble getting back up on the roosts with her sisters the first couple nights. I lifted her, after that she adjusted and roosted herself.
Did you put some golf balls or fake eggs in your nest boxes?

 

[MudCop]

We installed a rollout nest box. One of the reasons was egg eating. We were also getting smashed and damaged eggs, and excessive broodyness. The rollout box solved all these issues, and the eggs are also squeaky clean every time. We have a Bestnest, and it's awesome. I could have made one easily, but don't regret just buying one.