To Cull or not to Cull?

[RoosterCogburn7]

Are you sure she was pecking it to crack it open and not just giving it a couple of exploratory pecks just to check it out?

It had to be used right away, as she was cracking it up pretty good, and was stopped in the process. Nothing like that yesterday as far as could be determined.

 

[mortie]

Ah, if it was pretty well cracked then I'd guess no, not just exploratory pecks then.

 

[ChicKat]

Here is another thought...sometimes - especially when the sunlight is shorter - and as you said yours are molting -- their egg shells are a bit thinner.What if the egg broke when it was stepped on or when it was laid? Then this hen could have just been an opportunist and not an egg eater.. ETA - she got caught with "egg on her face" - but may not even have broken the shell herself.

Since it didn't happen again, it might be a one-time thing. Boost their protein and calcium and keep an eye on her. Good Luck.!

 

[aart]

Here is another thought...sometimes - especially when the sunlight is shorter - and as you said yours are molting -- their egg shells are a bit thinner.What if the egg broke when it was stepped on or when it was laid? Then this hen could have just been an opportunist and not an egg eater.. ETA - she got caught with "egg on her face" - but may not even have broken the shell herself.

Since it didn't happen again, it might be a one-time thing. Boost their protein and calcium and keep an eye on her. Good Luck.!

Good point!

 

[mortie]

X2

Any egg that is broken is fair game. I personally don't expect chickens to ignore that golden delicious goodness that suddenly appears in their coop if an egg gets inadvertently broken. Perhaps that was the problem?

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

Here is another thought...sometimes - especially when the sunlight is shorter - and as you said yours are molting -- their egg shells are a bit thinner.What if the egg broke when it was stepped on or when it was laid? Then this hen could have just been an opportunist and not an egg eater.. ETA - she got caught with "egg on her face" - but may not even have broken the shell herself.

Since it didn't happen again, it might be a one-time thing. Boost their protein and calcium and keep an eye on her. Good Luck.!

So far no reoccurrence. Which is a good thing, I don't take pleasure in the concept of culling her. The Sunlight in East Texas is sporadic. To coin a cliché, if you don't like the weather just wait awhile. It is going rain the rest of the week but clear up by the week end.