We've got an egg-eater on our hands...😤

[GuineaMania]

You are right, they probably do not have enough calcium, because we don't provide some for them on the side like we should be doing. we have crushed oyster shells, I think it is, or maybe crushed granite or something, but they show no interest whatsoever in it. Is there a more appetizing alternative?

Maybe they don't have enough calcium and are just picky, or, maybe they actually do have enough calcium and are just self regulating. I feed mine crushed eggshells on the side, but I think there are also flaked oyster shells. I haven't tried alternatives like flaked oyster shells though.

Also, I've always wondered if grit and crushed oyster shells are the same thing and if they do the same thing for chickens? Like do crushed oyster shells function to grind food up or is it just a source of calcium? Sorry that may sound like a stupid question

Crushed oyster shells are basically just for calcium, I'd recommend separate grit like the other commenters mentioned. That said, if they do get a chance to free range, they probably can find their own grit. Mine free range and I don't give them grit but that's just my preference. Don't worry, it's not a silly question!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Being realistic since this has been an ongoing issue for months now, it's probably going to be very difficult to stop it completely with the flock you currently have. Assuming that poor shell quality isn't the primary issue, I'd try the roll away nests first and foremost but they can be thwarted by extremely determined birds.

Is there a more appetizing alternative? Also, I've always wondered if grit and crushed oyster shells are the same thing and if they do the same thing for chickens? Like do crushed oyster shells function to grind food up or is it just a source of calcium?

Crushed eggshell can help but it's difficult to provide enough to serve solely as an alternative (you'd need more eggshell than your flock would produce).

No, oyster shell does not help with digestion, as it dissolves. Grit is needed to help grind food up.

I don't think it will work in my coop because there are already nest boxes installed in there, and I don't think I can add on to them in order to make them roll-away nesting boxes

You could close up the existing boxes and add roll away nests instead.

Pine shavings, but they always end up kicking the majority of it out so it's not as cushioned anymore

You can pad out the bottom of nests for free by folding feed bags to snugly fit.

This will not work if you switch to roll away nests though.

I did not provide grit because they don't ever eat it. Do you prefer a certain brand or type that your chickens tend to like?

Brand does not matter. You just need a hard enough stone like granite, in appropriate size pieces. Typically chickens go through grit verrrrry slowly so it may look like they're not using it at all.

 

[Acre4Me]

Also, I've always wondered if grit and crushed oyster shells are the same thing and if they do the same thing for chickens?

Nope. Grit serves as “teeth” in their crop. It helps them grind up food. It is usually granite.

Oyster shell: from oysters and provides calcium. It dissolves and does not work to grind up food like granite grit.

16% Kalmbach layer feed pellets.

We feed Kalmbach all flock pellets (20%)

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Nope. Grit serves as “teeth” in their crop. It helps them grind up food. It is usually granite.

Oyster shell: from oysters and provides calcium. It dissolves and does not work to grind up food like granite grit.

No, oyster shell does not help with digestion, as it dissolves. Grit is needed to help grind food up.

Crushed oyster shells are basically just for calcium, I'd recommend separate grit like the other commenters mentioned.

Thanks so much for the clarification! I don't know what I was thinking, lol.

 

[GuineaMania]

Thanks so much for the clarification! I don't know what I was thinking, lol.

Your welcome, no worries!

 

[Mill Chick]

Maybe you could put a store bought egg in their coop and watch and see who eats it to figure out who (the criminal) is? Just an idea!

 

[chickymadness]

Would they realize that the golf balls are not real eggs right away? I'm afraid that it would not fool my girls. I also check the boxes every day, and every time, zero eggies

We used "chalk" eggs from Hobby Lobby as starters for the babies before they started laying, partly to show them where they were supposed to lay. I'm sorry to disappoint anyone about the intelligence of their chickens, but they can't tell the difference! They will lay on them, cuddle them, warm them, etc., just like they were their own.

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

I've heard that you can put black plastic strips over the entrance of the nesting box. The hen will push through to get inside, but it'll be dark in there so she can't see the eggs. Whenever she exits and looks back all she'll see is the strips. Out of sight, out of mind. I haven't personally tried this though.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

I've heard that you can put black plastic strips over the entrance of the nesting box. The hen will push through to get inside, but it'll be dark in there so she can't see the eggs. Whenever she exits and looks back all she'll see is the strips. Out of sight, out of mind. I haven't personally tried this though.

Oh! That makes a lot of sense! kind of like those nest box curtains maybe??

 

[inkydew]

Hello everyone. We've got some egg-eater(s) now This has been going on since maybe December? Or November? Or earlier?Honestly it has probably been going on for even longer than that, since I've seen broken eggs in the summer, but we just suspected that our chicken's big bodies were smashing the eggs against the bottom of the nesting boxes. That's definitely a possibility, since they have had yolk on their underbellies before. It's a pain in the butt because we are not getting barely any eggs as it is because it's the middle of winter, and the chickens have been eating all of the eggs that they lay. So we have to buy our eggs in the store now. There is evidence- such as empty egg shells in the run, yolk in the nesting boxes, yolk on the chicken's faces, and half-eaten eggs that are buried underneath the pine shavings somehow.
You would think that it would be easy to find out who the egg eater is by seeing who has yolk on them, but most of them have yolk on themselves, that's the problem. I think there is one chicken who grabs the egg and starts eating it, and the others join in to eat the egg- so there is the culprit, and the partners in crime. The partners in crime obviously are doing nothing wrong, because they are just joining in to eat the egg if you know what I mean. I must find out who the culprit is so I can stop them. Also, have you seen how expensive eggs are in the store??? HOLY COW!!! Great value (Walmart) eggs are 5 dollars and something. We want to start selling eggs for like 6-7 bucks once egg production starts back up but we obviously can't do that if the chickens are eating their eggs Is there a cheap way to stop our egg eater(s)? Getting rid of them or culling them is definitely NOT an option, they are our little babies. Also, a camera would be very hard to install because there is no electricity running to the coop, and cameras are expensive. Is there a way that we can make a DIY automatic-egg-collecting nesting box with only a few materials? Or if you have other suggestions they will be very much appreciated.

Thanks so much in advance!