They're all eating their eggs!

[CHICKA MOMMA]

I have been trying to curb my flocks appetite for their own eggs but I am fighting a losing battle. I have been trying to be very diligent in removing the eggs right away, but I am just not winning. I can never get in there quick enough. It would be easier if it were just a few birds but the majority of them have developed the taste for them. I have put mustard in blown out eggs, I have used golf balls and fake eggs, but neither of these are curbing it. I feel like my only choice is to deal with it (as I have 28 hens and I just can't bear to get rid of them all). Does anyone have any advice???

 

[Mamatomany123]

They make nesting boxes that rolls the egg away from them. Would those be a possiblity? Also, are they getting enough calcium? If not, that may be why they're eating them.

 

[Chookwagn]

my first thought is use roll away nest boxes as said in above post

 

[NickyPick]

Are they getting enough calcium? That's one cause for egg eating. Get some oyster shell to supplement your layer feed.

 

[aart]

I feel like my only choice is to deal with it (as I have 28 hens and I just can't bear to get rid of them all). Does anyone have any advice???

Well, maybe you don't need to get rid of them all.
But if crowding is an issue.....might need to eat all the eaters.

How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help here.

Also, what all and how exactly are you feeding?

 

[NickyPick]

Just to continue on my thinking. I routinely throw badly poop stained or yolk stained eggs on the ground for my hens to clean up. If I throw an egg and it doesn't break, all the hens rush at it, but, since it's whole, they leave it alone. If there's any break at all, they attack it with abandon and fight over the yolk and shell.
So, my question remains - are they getting enough calcium? To keep the shells strong, so they don't break in the nest box? A hen's natural reaction is to clean up spills, so they don't attract predators/ants/etc. Most hens won't just eat eggs for the heck of it, they'll eat eggs to clean up bad eggs/cracked eggs or yolk covered eggs (from a neighboring egg that cracked)
Basically, check your whole situation before you decide you have egg eating hens.

 

[nicalandia]

Once they aquire the taste of fresh eggs You won't stop them, You Will have to get rid of them all

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

There are solutions to this, but they take a bit of work.

First of all, are they getting enough protein? Eggs are a high source of protein, and they know that. Are they doing any other behaviour like eating each other’s feathers, eating their feathers, etc.? What are you feeding them?

After you have figured out the cause, you can start on the solution. Roll away nesting boxes work well, and might be your last hope. If there are golf balls and real eggs in the nesting boxes, they might just figure out that the eggs are yummy and the golf balls aren’t. Not a good solution. The mustard works okay, though not always.

Do you consider your chickens pets? If you do, getting rid of them might not be an option for you. If you don’t, you might be able to eat them or rehome them.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Once they aquire the taste of fresh eggs You won't stop them, You Will have to get rid of them all

Not always true. My flock goes through periods of egg eating before they seem to be fine with no longer doing it. Usually if they're missing something, they'll stop once it's better