who is eating the eggs?

[rrrmamma]

I have 20 hens. In the last few days I have found evidence that someone is eating the eggs.

The other morning I opened the coop to feed. There were two eggs in the corner. (A favorite place for three of my girls) I turned my back to put food in the feeder. When I turned back one egg was missing. Three girls were standing there looking at the spot. Anyone have any idea how to tell which one is doing the eating? My egg production has dropped to 10 eggs a day. I usually get 15-18. I blocked the spot where they were laying and today I found egg yolk on eggs in the nesting boxes in two places. I thought of putting my game cameras in the coop, but I am not sure I would be able to tell which hen it is. Any suggestions would be appreciated. If I find the offending hen she will be in freezer boot camp for sure.

 

[tcscivic12]

I had the same problem. Tjey might not be busting them on purpose. Sometime my hens like to pile up to three in one nest and causes one to bust and thats when the one busted one gets eat.

 

[treeclimber233]

Try putting an egg where everyone can see it. In the middle of the henhouse floor or in the run. Everyone will probably run over and give an experimental peck. The egg eater will make a determined try at breaking the eggshell. It will be easy to tell who is trying to break the shell. If nobody tries to break the egg then the eggs are probably getting broken accidentally when the hens are jumping in the nest. And then getting eaten. And don't assume it is a hen breaking and eating the eggs. I had a roo that was eating the eggs as soon as they were laid.

 

[rrrmamma]

Thanks Treeclimber. I tried your suggestion this morning. A few of the girls kicked the egg, but nobody tried to eat it. I will try again this afternoon. The weather is nice this morning and some of the girls were out in the run and didn't want to come in. We are supposed to have rain this afternoon and they will all be in. You know " The sky is falling, the sky is falling" They are so funny.