Pecking and Eating Eggs

[What_TheDuck]

Hi. We are having an egg pecking/eating problem between our 7 birds. We have 4 pullets that are just starting to lay, and 3 older girls (maybe around 3-4 years?) who still lay every now and then. I walked into our coop today to find 2 out of the older birds eating 2 freshly laid eggs in one of the egg boxes. I was pretty bummed because I think it was my first Green Queen's egg and was a bit smaller than normal. Anyways, this has been going on for a month or so, does anyone have any tips on how to stop them from pecking/eating the eggs? I have given them some oyster shell every now and then. I live in California, so the cold temperature should definitely not be the factor for this. We are just starting to warm up to the 70s this week.

Someone help lol. Would hate to have my first pullets' eggs go to waste.

 

[Wishing4Wings]

It's so frustrating to lose eggs like that! Especially when you've been waiting on some new ones.

Best to have a dish of oyster shell available all the time. It will make the shells stronger.

Do wild birds have access to your nest boxes? Scrub jays are bad here for breaking open eggs, and the hens will finish eating them after the jays do their dirty work.
One of my older hens lays an occasional thin shelled egg which get broken accidentally (stepped on by the big orp) and then eaten by an opportunistic hen.

I have never had a hen break eggs on purpose, but have read that once they start is can be very difficult to stop.
You could try collecting eggs frequently. Put some decoy eggs in the boxes... maybe they will give up in frustration after not being able to open them.
There are special nest boxes that allow the eggs to roll out of reach keeping them safe until you collect. I have seen plans to build your own roll away boxes, or you can buy them.

If you have a suspect, maybe put her in a separate cage for a couple of days to be certain you have the right one. Not sure what to do from there. Maybe the confinement will snap her out of her. bad habit.

Game cam in the coop showed us it was indeed jays causing our problem. You could try that to find your culprit.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

 

[Yardmom]

Oyster shells should be out all the time. Many hens do not get enough calcium with layer food and egg shells. Lack of calcium is often the cause of egg eating. A lack of other nutrients or protein can also cause it.

 

[icy_flames]

They need access to oyster shell everyday just like food, water, and grit.

 

[aart]

I have given them some oyster shell every now and then.

Yes, they should be available at all times.

What all and how exactly are you feeding?

 

[What_TheDuck]

Yes, they should be available at all times.

What all and how exactly are you feeding?

I'm giving them purena layena crumbles as their main food, and scratch corn for a filler.

 

[aart]

I'm giving them purena layena crumbles as their main food, and scratch corn for a filler.

A filler?
How much and why?
Best to cut out the scratch corn.

 

[What_TheDuck]

I don

A filler?
How much and why?
Best to cut out the scratch corn.

I don't give them it that much anymore. Have been cut off for about 3-4 months. It was just to give them a "snack" other than the crumbles.