question about birds eating the eggs

[tracylhl]

My girls have just started laying. I've had 3 eggs so far. For different reasons, each has been broken before I can get to it. One was layed high and rolled and broke on the ground. One was laid w/ no shell. One had a thin shell but was cracked and crushed when I found it.

With the first one, I saw it roll and break and immediately removed the shell but left the yolk and white on the ground where the birds went back and ate it later that day. The second one had no shell and they had eaten most of the yolk before I found it (early in the morning). The third one was cracked and partially crushed but if they ate any of it, it wasn't much I don't *think*.

My question is this... I have yet to get one good egg from these girls! Have they already been "ruined" by eating their own eggs? I'm hoping that they have not associated the yolk that they like with the outer shell but after tonight's egg, I'm starting to wonder about that. If they continue to eat them, is there a way to stop it or is it likely that I'll never break them of it? What can I do?

 

[Dar]

the soft shelled eggs are normal...

I dont think the girls are ruined and are destined to be egg eaters

everyonce in a while there is a broken egg and my hens will take care of the mess for me but on the most part i get 99% of the laid eggs

collect your eggs daily
give them a safe place to lay, where the eggs wont roll
give them a source of calcium like oyster shells to harden their shells
place golf balls in the nest to encourage them to lay in the boxes

 

[tracylhl]

Thanks. After the first one, I did put the golf ball in their nesting box and they've gotten the idea now. The next 2 have been laid there. I've been checking multiple times each day for eggs. I also baked and put through the food processor some other egg shells I had for calcium purposes. I'm frustrated that I haven't gotten any "keepers" yet but am glad to hear that you don't think they're destined to be "egg eaters".

 

[Judy]

OK, I throw my eggshells away. You need to spring for some oyster shell. Layer feed does not provide enough calcium for all pullets, and maybe not for any of them. There is not enough calcium bioavailability in eggshells for the ones who need more calcium.

I have 26 layers and buy a $5 or so bag of oyster shell about once every two or three months; I don't keep track. It's not like it's a huge expense. Some seem to need it more than others.

Meanwhile, I agree, these all sound like pullets trying to adjust to egg laying, internally and in terms of nest boxes, and this should sort itself out in a few weeks. It took my new layers nearly a month to lay all their eggs in the nest boxes, and not on the coop floor, or wherever, and to lay normal eggs.

Hopefully, they have not caught on that eggs taste good; they aren't pecking good hard shelled eggs, for one thing, and don't necessarily learn this habit with one experience. But I would not leave a broken or shelless egg for them to eat; I would remove the temptation.

 

[cmom]

I don't think they are egg eaters either. I have seen my birds eat broken or soft shelled eggs but they do not bother the vast majority that they lay.