Uh, oh, I've got an egg eater

[PeachygirlGA]

I've had chickens for about 9 years now and have had them eat an egg that was broken and possibly eat one or 2, but now I've got somebody that is eating 1-2 eggs a day! These hens are all at least 2 years old, some older. I can't figure out who is doing it!! Today they ate 2 out of my 5 eggs. I have 12 hens and a rooster. I was thinking of putting a trail camera in there to find out who it is. I have read different ways of how to stop this, but what are your ideas?? I do have a separate cage I can put her in alone if I find out who it is. Would this work to stop her for a couple weeks?

 

[aart]

Camera might work.
Are there any shells left as evidence.....if so, are they thin/weak?
Older birds coming back in to lay can have some wonky shells.

Fake eggs in nest might help.
Frequent gathering is what I've used in the past to find the weak layer...who then went to dinner.

 

[PeachygirlGA]

Yes, shells left and sometimes just a wet spot. Shells are not thin/weak. I have gotten some like that before but not lately. I have a couple wooden eggs, should I paint them white? I try to go out there as much as possible, and heard one in there, but when I opened the box she ran so fast I couldn't see who it was! Lol!

 

[Acre4Me]

When we’ve had an egg eater, we bought 2 dozen wooden eggs and put at least 1 dozen into the nest boxes (at the time 3 nest boxes). In addition to frequent collection. This really curtailed the habit. Then it began to happen again recently, so we sold the egg eater as we wanted to make room for the new baby chicks. It is a persistent habit, so the wooden/ceramic eggs serve to not reward their pecking, and frequent collection means their chances of success are less. Good luck.

 

[aart]

Yes, shells left and sometimes just a wet spot. Shells are not thin/weak. I have gotten some like that before but not lately. I have a couple wooden eggs, should I paint them white? I try to go out there as much as possible, and heard one in there, but when I opened the box she ran so fast I couldn't see who it was! Lol!

I don't think you need to paint them white, unless all your layers lay white eggs.

 

[Douglas Colman]

If you have another area you can divide your flock in two. Leg mark their legs for group 1or2
The egg eater will be in one group.
Divide the group in two again and the egg eater is now 1 in 3.
Take out one and there's only two left.
Separate again and you have the culprit.
This is assuming the egg eater is the last of group 2 but you get the idea.
Good luck

 

[50-45-1]

Figuring out who the culprit is will be the hardest part. I have discovered mine by simply sitting in the coop for a while each day.
Once you know who it is, dont rehome her without full discloure to the new owners or you just moved your problem to someone else.
Boredom is sometimes a reason for this. Sometimes springtime will stop egg eating as there will be less time spent in the coop and lots of exciting stuff happening outside. I free range though, so for run confined birds adding stuff to do and peck at and scratch thru will help.
I would try pinless peepers on my egg eater if nothing else helps.
Good luck!

 

[GC-Raptor]

Egg eating habits can be hard to break and can spread the bad habit to others.
I had an egg eater for about a month before I caught her in the act pecking an egg from outside the nest opening when I opened the nest box cover.
She was the lowest in the pecking order and spent most of her day in the coop, only coming out when I tossed a daily treat of Scratch Grains in the pen and when I let them out to Free range late afternoon/evenings.
She pecked through and consumed a couple of eggs a week.
She was a good layer (4/5 a week), and I didn't like culling her, but I won't tolerate that, because the habit could spread to her flock mates and cleaning the nest and eggs laid after isn't fun.
I hope you find the culprit before it spreads. GC

 

[PeachygirlGA]

These are all great ideas! Thanks! I don't have white egg layers, but the wooden eggs I have are way too dark.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

My egg eater is an Easter Egger, so I guess that makes her a EE EE. She only eats eggs that are different than hers, for some reason. Since she has those cute muffs and beard, it was obvious that it was her from the very first time. In her flock, I have 3 greenish/blue egg layers, a brown egg layer, a dark brown egg layer, and a small light brown bantam egg layer. The only eggs that are ever eaten are the regular sized light and dark brown. The 2 girls that laid these eggs were on the bottom of the pecking order as chicks but once they started to lay, they moved up to the top, and took over my EE's spot. So, I don't know if that has anything to do with it but I find it interesting. To help this problem I check the nest multiple times a day, especially looking for the brown eggs. The last time I caught her eating the egg remains, I was persistent with not allowing her there while I cleaned it up. She was extremely upset and fussed the entire time. I have also noticed her being a nest box bully as well. She is very rude to whomever is trying to lay, and it's not because she's anxious to use the box. She doesn't do this to the girls that lay the eggs she eats because they're above her in the pecking order so she's afraid. If you made it this far into my forever babbling, I just wanted to share my experience. Best wished with finding your culprit and whatever you have to do to solve the problem.