The inevitable humidity question, day before lockdown, help please!

[oregonkat]

How are egg productions going for you now?

absolutely LOUSY!!!! My older hens are molting, my new girls are laying and I have an egg eater. Found 4 already this morning licked clean!!! The ceramic eggs are in there now so hopefully she'll change her mind. Any better ideas for stopping this?

 

[oregonkat]

@WVduckchick, btw I love your current avatar!

 

[WVduckchick]

absolutely LOUSY!!!! My older hens are molting, my new girls are laying and I have an egg eater. Found 4 already this morning licked clean!!! The ceramic eggs are in there now so hopefully she'll change her mind. Any better ideas for stopping this?

I’ve had it happen a few times, but they always resolved without me doing anything. Except I think I moved one girl that I thought was doing it intentionally. She never did it again.
I’ve heard things like squirting mustard, cayenne pepper, dish soap, etc into hollowed out eggs may work.
Or maybe nest box modifications so the eggs roll away?
Look up the “paint tray” nest box.

@WVduckchick, btw I love your current avatar!

someone posted it here and it was just so “me”, I had to steal it.

 

[aart]

I’ve heard things like squirting mustard, cayenne pepper, dish soap, etc into hollowed out eggs may work

Never heard of the dish soap, that might work.....don't think the hot stuff does tho, no heat receptors.

First BCMxCCL layer is going way pale and speckled, I think, will get pics soon.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

When hens eat eggs they usually eat all the egg, that means shell, white, yoke, membrane and all. When hens eat broken eggs they usually have a spirited game of keep away among the entire flock. There is therefor little chance that you would find eggshells if you had a chicken eating your, or their own eggs.

 

[oregonkat]

When hens eat eggs they usually eat all the egg, that means shell, white, yoke, membrane and all. When hens eat broken eggs they usually have a spirited game of keep away among the entire flock. There is therefor little chance that you would find eggshells if you had a chicken eating your, or their own eggs.

Ooooo, I don't like the sound of this at all! Does this mean that because I am finding an egg with the end taken off and hollowed out that it is NOT a chicken doing it? My hens are very well stocked with oyster shell so is it possible that she is just not interested in the rest of the egg shell? The only other culprit that I can come up with is a ground squirrel, possible?

 

[oregonkat]

So I just had a beautiful moment!! I heard a bird hit one of our huge windows a little bit ago and went out to find a small owl, seeing stars on the deck. I picked him up and sat him on my finger and we hung out for about 10 mins with him clinging on to me and trying to figure out what the heck just happened. These creatures are amazing, the fact that he can rotate his neck all the way around is probably what saved him from breaking it. He watched the hummers for a little while, turned his face to me, blinked a few times and flew away!.. a visit from an ancestor perhaps... and perhaps next time, don't hit the window so hard!!!

 

[WVduckchick]

So I just had a beautiful moment!! I heard a bird hit one of our huge windows a little bit ago and went out to find a small owl, seeing stars on the deck. I picked him up and sat him on my finger and we hung out for about 10 mins with him clinging on to me and trying to figure out what the heck just happened. These creatures are amazing, the fact that he can rotate his neck all the way around is probably what saved him from breaking it. He watched the hummers for a little while, turned his face to me, blinked a few times and flew away!.. a visit from an ancestor perhaps... and perhaps next time, don't hit the window so hard!!!

Where's the pics?!??!???
Sounds like a sweet little encounter.

 

[aart]

First BCMxCCL layer is going way pale and speckled, I think, will get pics soon.

Yep, Little Sister is paling out on me and have those 'bands' of color...but her eggs are getting BIG(nope, didn't weigh) is a bit 'greener' than pic shows but not by much.

I heard a bird hit one of our huge windows a little bit ago and went out to find a small owl, seeing stars on the deck. I picked him up and sat him on my finger and we hung out for about 10 mins

WOW!! Too Cool!! Did you get any pics?

 

[oregonkat]

WOW!! Too Cool!! Did you get any pics?

No unfortunately. I was concerned that if I went back into the house with him he would fly around and bang himself up some more so it just has to be relegated to memory......
In researching what kind he was, Pygmy Owl. Cutest little thing!!