Swarming egg eating vultures or caring midwives

[Justicedog]

I think I may have at least one egg eater. I'd moved an egg from inside the coop to a nesting box #1. The evening when I checked for eggs, there was an egg in a different nesting box #2 and the one I put in the nesting box #1 was gone, later I found some wet bedding, like from the inside of the egg.

Today, I've been hoovering to be able to grab an egg. One chicken was in the nesting box, a couple of the others were in the coop in front of her looking in. So, were they being concerned sister hen midwives or were they trying to be first in to eat the egg?

The one who laid the egg was very vocal after I grabbed it. In fact, several have been very vocal.

I'd read about putting dishsoap in a blown out eggshell and putting it in the coop. I was going to try that if I find any more egg remains in the nexting box. If I can find some fake wood eggs, I'll throw those in too.

Any other thoughts?

I got 6 chicks 5 months ago. I think three of them are laying so far.

 

[Den in Penn]

Swarming vultures gets my vote from what you discribed.

 

[Justicedog]

Ok, I've confirmed I've got at least one egg eating chicken. Caught her red handed and it doesn't seem that "no, bad chicken" works. Neither did grabbiung her butt feathers and dragging her back and prying the egg shell out of her beak. How do I break the chicken(s)? of her/their egg eatting ways? For the past two days, I've got wood eggs or balls in the nesting boxes, but it didn't stop this chicken.

I work, so can't be out checking the boxes every 5 minutes.

If I weren't just a backyard chicken person, she'd be stew.

What's the next step?

 

[Den in Penn]

There are a few ways to try to stop them. here is an BYC article about it. http://backyardchickens.com/a/six-tips-on-breaking-your-egg-eater