Rescue hens eating their own eggs

[NotTheMomma]

Perhaps they need the extra protein right now? Or maybe they just haven't ever had access to the eggs before, therefore are eating them. Try gathering eggs as soon as possible after they lay them, and maybe they'll 'get over it'.

 

[toxo]

Quote:
I think this is the best way. Remember this is what they're used to. As soon as the egg is laid it rolls down a ramp to where the hen can't reach/see it. The poor chicken has possibly never seen an egg before it gets rescued.

Paul

 

[liltexas409]

One of my Austrolrp hens,a very generous layer,ate two of her eggs last week while sitting on some others.I was shocked! I went to let them out of the coop for play time and there she was..crunch slurp..she was living large on the egg meal. I did the mustard egg and later on that day noticed she had mustard all over her comb and face..she hasnt eaten one since..safe measures were adding a couple golf balls. Ill try anything.I know they hate anything pickled,gave them some pickled green beans and they shook their heads and slung them and walked off.My chickens eat Chili Pequins and jalepeno's and love them, they dont taste heat, so I really dont know about Cayenne as a deterent for egg eating. My flock of 9 get yogurt, cottage cheese, oyster shell,grit, leftover cheese, and tuna and when cukes are on sale I buy hoards for them and food process them with egg shell(feed back) and fruits. They get Layena and Scratch and fruit,so I think its a case of "because they can". I do know that one time I switched some chooks in with the layers and it was horrid..the layers attacked the young hens like horrible vulchers and when I took em out the one hen ate her eggs for a few days, then discontinued using her nest box for a week and then quit laying for a week.Note that I was punished for my actions!Egg eating,can be situational,as I found out the hard way. Good Luck!

 

[Nancyjane]

I've done the golf balls and hot sauce on the egg.
Will try soap and mustard in a blown out egg. Also some cat food for protein mentioned in another thread.
Would love some plans for rollaway nesting boxes. All I can find is a minimum of 4 boxes for 149.00 or something crazy. The rescues don't always lay in the boxes, though. In fact even less since I put the golf balls in!
I'll keep trying!

 

[chookchick]

Make sure they are getting plenty of protein so they don't feel deficient. Also make sure they have oyster shell available at all times, even if they are on layer feed. Do they get some greens and other goodies to keep them busy? Along with the other ideas here, I bet you can break that habit, please don't give up on them until you've tried everything!

 

[Nancyjane]

I'll be throwing some cat food into the food and some crushed egg shells. I don't have oyster shells at the time (unless I can use calcium carbonate that I put into the garden?) I'll have to call them & ask if it is edible for chickens.
I can only get out to the pen as often as I can! I don't have the time to hang out in there. Maybe 2-3 times per day and then we are usually too late! I've checked at different times and can't seem to pinpoint the exact time. It's usually when we aren't home.
I'm going to ask a neighbor if we can buy/have the cute little coop he has on his property that he hasn't used in ages. I think the girls might feel more comfy in closer quarters.
They did origionally lay wherever in the yard etc., I put some golf ball in the nest and they took to that, nests on the ground cause they had been clipped so severely they couldn't fly. Almost a year later one doesn't have any tail feathers! They still don't know how to get up to the nest boxes! Poor things, dumb as sticks! Never were "taught" where to roost or nest!
I'll keep trying for awhile. NT