Sudden egg breaking or pecking

[Harley Chick]

Just recently.....maybe a week I've been finding broken eggs in the next box. Yesterday I found 3 eggs one of which was broken. So I left the other two in there only to discover later in the afternoon one had been broken (looked like a crack when you open an egg) so could the three newbies be pecking the eggs? They are 8 weeks old.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Generally chicks don't bother eggs. Cracks in eggs can be from them hitting each other or the bottom of the box hard so collect often and bed nests well. Generally egg eaters will consume the whole egg and leave a wet nest full of egg residue.

Sometimes eggs get stepped on. Those will generally have a single poke hole.

 

[aart]

Broken but but not eaten?
Were shells good and hard?
Maybe need more bedding?

 

[Harley Chick]

shells just broken, not eaten so maybe just a fluke? yesterday we had a good day all 5 had laid and were intact. I do have a Barred Rock with a gimpy leg so maybe in her effort to jump in and out of the nest box she's damaging the other eggs? I sometimes find an egg below the nest box in the bedding, Bless her heart she hobbles up and down just to give me a beautiful present so I can't complain too much.