Many folks won't feed their hens excess eggs to prevent unwanted egg-eater problems, which is quite reasonable. I, however, have not had that problem in the last 3 or so years I've been feeding back both cooked and (increasingly) raw eggs.
Perhaps because they are free range?
I no longer clip their wing and so they can jump fences as they wish, but they tend to stick to their area of around 2-3 acres. My flock of 50+ is also back to a more manageable 20+ and I still have excess eggs! So I've gone from feeding-back crushed boiled eggs occasionally to leaving out 2 bowls where I crack and drop 'fresh' eggs almost daily in recent months. Often these are eggs I won't bring in the house because they were laid outside my accepted beds that are cleared daily.
We've had almost no rain and our days are hot with gusty-hot winds, very very unusual! I still do not have an unwanted egg eating problem (touch-wood!) but I am noticing the raw egg bowls being cleaned out in double time!
A family member commented the other day how well they were looking and I notice less problems even with my weaker hens (my pets who surprise-hatched from a pullet who'd just started laying and hid her nest of very small eggs!).
The improvement wasn't as noticeable 6 months after reducing the flock size, they always chose live as two separate flocks (one roosting in a huge tree so no overcrowding), but it certainly is after feeding back the raw eggs near on 6 months. Whatever the science... neither flock reduction nor fresh raw eggs have harmed the 2 Egg-Song Gangs but made them eggceptional!!
My oldest girl, now 7+ years loves her raw egg treat and diligently heads to lay an egg almost daily, I suspect she steals other eggs regularly (she is the queen of hiding eggs under her wings when broody) but she is back to hopping the fences whenever she wants. It's a pleasure to watch.
Perhaps, in some circumstances like free-range, we shouldn't be so reluctant to share back their eggs raw?
Perhaps because they are free range?
I no longer clip their wing and so they can jump fences as they wish, but they tend to stick to their area of around 2-3 acres. My flock of 50+ is also back to a more manageable 20+ and I still have excess eggs! So I've gone from feeding-back crushed boiled eggs occasionally to leaving out 2 bowls where I crack and drop 'fresh' eggs almost daily in recent months. Often these are eggs I won't bring in the house because they were laid outside my accepted beds that are cleared daily.
We've had almost no rain and our days are hot with gusty-hot winds, very very unusual! I still do not have an unwanted egg eating problem (touch-wood!) but I am noticing the raw egg bowls being cleaned out in double time!
A family member commented the other day how well they were looking and I notice less problems even with my weaker hens (my pets who surprise-hatched from a pullet who'd just started laying and hid her nest of very small eggs!).
The improvement wasn't as noticeable 6 months after reducing the flock size, they always chose live as two separate flocks (one roosting in a huge tree so no overcrowding), but it certainly is after feeding back the raw eggs near on 6 months. Whatever the science... neither flock reduction nor fresh raw eggs have harmed the 2 Egg-Song Gangs but made them eggceptional!!
My oldest girl, now 7+ years loves her raw egg treat and diligently heads to lay an egg almost daily, I suspect she steals other eggs regularly (she is the queen of hiding eggs under her wings when broody) but she is back to hopping the fences whenever she wants. It's a pleasure to watch.
Perhaps, in some circumstances like free-range, we shouldn't be so reluctant to share back their eggs raw?