Ughh... Egg Eaters... A LOT of them...

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I think the best idea I've come across is just building roll-a-way nest boxes so the egg rolls away from the chicken after it is laid.

I have squirrels that like to take eggs too so I think if I buy the ceramic ones they will just all get taken.

And I have school and work so I obviously can't follow chickens around all day to collect eggs.

Haven't tried the mustard thing, I've heard it doesn't work anyway.

 

[csummer8882]

I have 1 new layer. Possibly 2 right now. Haven't seen the 1st one lay in a bit and the eggs that I have gotten the last 2 days have been fairly small. Went in few days ago and they were fighting over an egg shell. *sigh* I just went into my Easter things and pulled out 2 large ceramic eggs and placed them in the nesting boxes. We shall see how it goes! Good luck!

 

[peepblessed]

I am a believer in the change of location theory. A friend gave me about a dozen hens that she said were confirmed egg eaters. I was just going to use them for bug patrol on our ranch. I had to lock them up a while to get them to stay put. They started laying in a few days and not one was ever an egg eater.

 

[extraordinaryfowl]

If a hen starts eating eggs it can spread fast to the other hens. Make sure (1) they have all the feed they want, as if they get hungry they will eat the eggs (2) The nestboxes are raised. I had this problem, and when I moved my chickens to a new coop, where they had a high jump to get into the coop from the run, and then the nest boxes were set above their eye level, and they would have to jump in there yet. But it stopped anyway, I guess they were too lazy to have to do a lot of jumping. Also, if that doesn't work, (3)try darkening the nest boxes. Chickens may still find them though. (4) Also I would put in plastic Easter eggs and golf balls, I always threw some of the more realistic looking ones in their run. They would open them and find them empty. (5) I've never had too, but I hear filling it with something that tastes bad may discourage it. Hope this helps, good luck!

 

[ChickenCrazy4ever]

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My chickens never peck their eggs they just push them under their bodies and that's it.

 

[southerndesert]

I have tried everything under the sun and always settle on the crock pot.... I now cull as soon as I catch one so I do not have to cull more later as it is a learned habit.

 

[True Grit]

I haven't gotten many eggs lately out of my 4 hens (one is moulting) and yesterday I only had 1 egg. Today I expected at least two and got zip.

They didn't free range today because the lawn mower came so I know they didn't lay outside. My question is: wouldn't there be some leftover evidence, congealed yolk, or bit of shell? The nest was nice and clean as a whistle, hay undisturbed, all rounded and smooth. I just can't tell if I have an egg eater or not.

The hens are 15.5 months old.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Well it's been almost a full day and the Broiler eggs are still under the broodies, so I'm reasonably sure the Ameraucanas are NOT eating the eggs.

The Others laid there eggs in the new nestbox (which took time to figure out)... I pulled one out and haven't been able to check again yet, will do so first thing in the morning.

 

[WhySayWhat]

My girls don't eat the eggs they lay, but if the egg is in my hands and close to their face, they all will try to eat it! I think setting it in front of them may have been a "bad" move, as you essentially gave them a treat! I suggest getting fake eggs and egg-shaped river rocks to join your real eggs in the nest boxes. The first hen to lay an egg tried to peck her eggs until she hit the rock I snuck into the nest one day...she has never even attempted to nail an egg again unless it is in my hands and I have bent over for some reason. I am extremely careful now about what I hold at "chicken level"!

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

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