What makes a chicken start eating their own eggs???

[RiverRidgeMinis]

This summer my chickens have started eating their own eggs. I collect them morning and evening. But by the time I get to them over half of the eggs are cracked open and eaten. Is it something they are lacking in their diets that make them do this? I am at a lose as to way this is happening. Any suggestions and advice is appreciated!

 

[thebanthams]

now its a bad habit ! If you can find out which hen does this and seperate her. if not put a fake wooden egg or golf balls in the nest. somewhere in the thread someone put mustard on it. I guess they dont like mustard!

 

[RiverRidgeMinis]

Thanks I will have to try that. I know I have some extra golf balls around here.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Actually, you put the mustard INSIDE the egg. This requires some effort of blowing out the eggs first. But since you are not doing this for a craft project, you can make pretty big holes in the egg. Insert a long needle or something to break up the yolk and give it a good blow. Rinse it out and then fill it up with spicy mustard.

Then hens will peck into the egg and they don't like the taste of mustard. They will then assume that is what all eggs taste like and should stop.

 

[RiverRidgeMinis]

Thanks for the advise!! I will give that a try!