The Old Folks Home

[scottcaddy]

I will!

You go OZ!

 

[insanity]

What do you guys do with egg eating hens? These are some of the old rescues I took in I thought it was diet at first but have solved that.
Now I think they are doing it out of habit. Can they be broke of it or do I cull them (they also don't lay much themselves)

 

[ozexpat]

What do you guys do with egg eating hens? These are some of the old rescues I took in I thought it was diet at first but have solved that.
Now I think they are doing it out of habit. Can they be broke of it or do I cull them (they also don't lay much themselves)

i eat the hens that eat the eggs

 

[Wisher1000]

Culling is a guaranteed fix, the others are iffy.

I broke mine with ceramic eggs and collecting as often as I could for a month. The offending hen would peck the ceramic eggs and have no luck so eventually gave up. She still gave half hearted attempts for another six months as I would get eggs with perfect beak tip sized hole in them.

I have heard of people blowing egg shells and filling them with yellow mustard.

The best way is to build roll away nest boxes, but that is alot of trouble and won't help if you want broodies.

 

[drumstick diva]

NO fair I was shoveling the driveway - still have 1/4 more to go.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I will!

Tell him what he's won, Bob.

 

[ronott1]

What do you guys do with egg eating hens? These are some of the old rescues I took in I thought it was diet at first but have solved that.
Now I think they are doing it out of habit. Can they be broke of it or do I cull them (they also don't lay much themselves)

First work on getting the eggs hardened up. Rescue hens have a lot of health issues.

If you do cull them, first separate them and find out which ones are laying the soft eggs.

Yes, 99.9% of egg eating is really an egg laying problem, not a behavior problem.

 

[ozexpat]

Tell him what he's won, Bob.

Have I told you lately that I really enjoy your humor SCG?

 

[insanity]

The eggs I do get are good and hard, no thin shells. I watched one hen do it. I was collecting from my high box and turned around to see her slamming away at it in my low box. I stopped her none to gently and took it away. It was a normal shell. The rescues are all fat,sassy and done molting all but one is laying now.I didn't intro them to the flock till all were healthy and laying good eggs. The one who isn't is probably 4 or 5 so may never lay ( EE with a great personality). I moved the 4 suspects into solitary. RIR all from the same farm.I figured culling was the answer but wanted to make sure.

 

[drumstick diva]

So OZ what didja win ?????