Pecking eggs but not eating

[roseyred]

Is this a problem? My hen who just started laying, every single egg I've got from her has a crack in it like she pecked it once and then left it alone. It never pierces that "skin" on the inside of the shell so I just eat em real quick. What can I do to avoid this? I have two porcelain eggs in there already that I'm sure they've pecked too.... I collect the eggs every morning and there usualy warm when I get them so it's not like it's been sitting around....maybe someone else is pecking them?

 

[BantamLover21]

I have that happen occasionally with my hens. Do the egg shells seem of normal strength? If the shells are weak, sometimes when a hen steps on them (while climbing out of the nest, etc.), she accidentally punctures the egg with a claw. Also, is there enough bedding in the nest boxes? If an egg falls onto a hard wooden/metal surface due to insufficient nest box material, sometimes it will crack similar to the way it would if it was pecked.

If the shells seem strong, and the nests are well-bedded, I can't think of anything else to do (other than get rid of the problem hen). I would just count myself lucky that the eggs weren't being punctured enough to make them inedible, and that the hens aren't starting true egg eating habits.

 

[roseyred]

Yeah....there's a lot of bedding but the hens like to move it all out of the way and sit on the wood...the shells are really strog actualy. Much denser than the store bought eggs. I guess I could put some hay in there instead of shavings so it has more spring when it drops...

 

[roseyred]

Much better now I hope it's not her pecking them....or stomping them with her reptile feet