Uh oh, think I may have egg eaters :( [Revised]

[Chotii]

My hens are not broody, they're just on strike now for the 4th day (I think because we had torrential rain and it stressed them).

But, the hens go sit on the nest for an hour every day. One sat for 3 hours. Neither of them laid anything.

If they don't have an egg to lay, why would they sit on the nest at all? If they do have an egg to lay, why would they not lay it while on the nest?

I don't think they're eating eggs. They *have* eaten thin-shelled eggs that fall to the floor in the night, but there are wooden eggs in the nest and I don't think they've ever learned they can break an egg in the nest. They're just not laying.

So why the sitting?

 

[littlegip]

my br did the same thing today sat for 2 hours ,not one egg ..i was sure hoping she would lay her first egg ,well maybe tomorrow for us

 

[elmo]

I've noticed mine sometimes go and sit on the nest for a bit, get up, scratch around, go back and sit a bit, get up, eat some crumble, go back, etc. Sometimes this goes on for an hour or more before they settle in and lay their egg.

 

[Chotii]

Oh, this might be bad.

I got no eggs from 2 of the hens for 4 days (I only have 3 hens). This morning when I went out to take care of them, there was a broken egg under the perch. But this egg was not thin-shelled, it was nicely thick-shelled, and they'd been eating it. It probably *did* break from the fall - assuming she laid it from the perch - but if she didn't, then I've got egg-eaters.

I already have wooden eggs in the nest, and to date the only eggs broken have been shell-less eggs (a few of those) and thin-shelled eggs (one of those, in the nest). But there's never been a broken one with a regular thick shell.

I think I'll buy a couple more wooden eggs today and paint them brown, in case the hens are just stupid enough to think white eggs are unbreakable, but brown ones are fair game.

I already add 1000mg of calcium to their wet mash daily (crushed vitamin tablet). And they get dry layer crumble besides, with a bit of oatmeal. I would hope that's enough protein??

 

[Nancyjane]

Went to feed store today to get a small bag of food, cause I've given up on my sudden egg eaters. Ready to give them away as pets!
The lady at the feed store said to give them ONE MORE chance! She says they're low on vitamin K and to feed them chopped up boiled eggs! I asked about the oyster shell. She said boiled eggs.
So mine are going to get a bowl on the side of boiled egg, cat food, swiss chard and crushed up egg shells along with their scratch and mash (darn! they eat better than I do!) for a few days and se what happens!
I also tried eggs coated with cayanne & hot sauce (apparently they can't taste HOT), blown out eggs filled with soap or mustard (soap eggs got pecked less)
The boiled eggs are my last try, then I give them away as pets
Maybe I'll try again next spring, but I just can't afford to keep them if they don't put out the eggs!

 

[Chotii]

The lady at my feed store said "Feed them really cheap cat food, if you want to increase their protein, because it's all just corn meal anyway."

I didn't buy any, and I *did* get two eggs today (one in the run, covered in mud & thoroughly camoflaged) but I'm still running out to the coop every time I hear an egg song.

SHe also suggested I add another nest box. I have. WE'll see how that works.