Pullet ate her own egg. Help!

[Soot the silkie]

When I went outside to see if one of my girls was done laying her egg, I found her with her beak wet standing over an empty egg shell. How do I stop her from eating her eggs? I've heard that you can put quinine (also known as cinchona) powder (which I have) in an egg and feed it to them. Does this work? Can eating her own eggs make her sick?

 

[Soot the silkie]

I need a reply before tomorrow, when she lays another egg.

 

[Soot the silkie]

What should I do to stop from eating them???

 

[junebuggena]

Egg eating is often caused by a lack of protein. Are you feeding layer pellets? Layer feed is about 16% protein. For some hens, it's just not enough. You can try to switching to an unmedicated or grower feed. The higher protein feed might be just what she needs. Be sure to supplement her diet with crushed oyster shell for calcium. Calcium makes the egg shells stronger and harder for a hen to break. If, after increasing the protein and supplementing with oyster shell, the problem still persists for more than week or two; you may need to worm her.

 

[Soot the silkie]

Egg eating is often caused by a lack of protein. Are you feeding layer pellets? Layer feed is about 16% protein. For some hens, it's just not enough. You can try to switching to an unmedicated or grower feed. The higher protein feed might be just what she needs. Be sure to supplement her diet with crushed oyster shell for calcium. Calcium makes the egg shells stronger and harder for a hen to break. If, after increasing the protein and supplementing with oyster shell, the problem still persists for more than week or two; you may need to worm her.

Ok. She is on laying pellets, but doesn't eat very much. She also gets lots of mealworms and occasionally I scramble a few eggs for them to eat. I would think she was getting enough protein, but I am pretty sure I still have chick feed for her and I'll give her some. I already have oyster shells out.