Slight Problem: Egg Eating

[SED]

I have 5 Bourbon Red Hens and Two Bourbon Red Toms in a 12'X18' pen along with Two Black Australorp Hens. The Turkeys have been laying for about a month now and I have been getting around 3-4 turkey eggs per day. About two or three days ago I noticed one of the Black Australorp hens running around being chased by the other birds and she had an egg shell in her mouth. I saw it again yesterday and have noticed two older eggs that I marked and put in their nest box was missing. I am also only getting 2-3 eggs per day now. I think that I have an egg eater on my hands. Do turkeys normally do this or do you think it is one of my BA hens doing this? If it is a turkey hen, how can I stop it? Should I separate them into trios? I have the BA hens sold so they will be leaving within the next week so I am hoping this will fix the problem. Any suggestions?

 

[Randy]

I'm thinking it's probably the BAs. Guess you will find out pretty soon when you get rid of them.

 

[SED]

Quote:
Yep, and I am looking forward to it too!

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Turkeys don't normally eat eggs how ever they have the instinct to remove broken eggs from the nest and carry them away. When a wild turkey sits on a nest they don't want to give any extra smells to call in predators.

Steve

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

look for your fattest shiniest hen . . . you will find your egg eater.

 

[sawmane1]

Blow an egg fill it with strong mustard and let her eat it do this a cuple of times and your prob. solved! To blow an egg poke a hole thru both sides and break up the yolk the blow the inerds out!

 

[butch]

I think it's the BA that are eating those eggs, but I would put some wooden eggs in the nest so that they will learn that they can't break eggs.