Why are my chickens eating the broody hen's eggs? There's only one left now

[NHchicks]

I've watched them do this. When the broody hen gets off the nest and goes into the chicken yard to stretch, the other chickens, including the one rooster, make a beeline for the nest and come running out with bits of eggshell in their mouths. Yet there are a couple other piles of eggs in the coop where they lay, and they leave those alone. I was hoping for chicks this spring, but that's not gonna happen. They have food accessible at all times, plus the chicken yard is all grass, dandelions, etc. They have a sleeping coop which is probably too small, but it's openly attached to the chicken run which is 16' x 20' (has vegetation and even raspberry bushes growing in there) and then when I open the coop door in the mornings, they have access to the open but fenced chicken yard which is very large, probably 30' x 40'. About 5 out of 14 of the hens usually end up flying over or crawling under the fence and free range all day too (I'm trying to keep them contained while I start buckwheat fields).

Extremely exasperating. I'm thinking of processing all these chickens at the end of summer and getting a new batch. These hens are mostly 2 yrs. and older anyway, and the rooster is aggressive. But that's why I really wanted new chicks this spring, and it's so much easier when mother hen raises them.

 

[silkiecuddles]

It may be that they are lacking calcium, which in that case they need something like oystershell. Or I believe you can dry out eggshells, grind them, and give them along with the chicken food.

Hope that helps!