- Mar 30, 2011
- 74
- 1
- 31
My 1 year old RIR, "Robot," started laying in the sand outside of her nesting box. It's right in the way of the door to the run so she boxes the other 3 in or out depending on who is where when she starts laying. At first I thought it was because there was another girl in the box, but I've been observing her doing it for no apparent reason now.
A few days after she started this, her shells became very thin. I'm smashed a few trying to crack them because I'm used to that super thick shell that the rest of them have. Yesterday, I checked for eggs and noticed that next to the nesting box, on the ground, the sand was wet. Then I saw a smashed shell next to it. Uh oh.
Today, more of the same. She laid again by the door and the sand was wet. I barely could see a shell because she ate most of it.
They have free choice oyster shell 24/7, always have. I gave them more yesterday and no one has touched it, at least that I can tell. It's been much warmer here than usual (80-90 degrees). I've read that warm weather might trigger some of these behaviors, but it's only going to get warmer.
So how do I go about fixing this? I don't even know if she's the one eating it. It's hard to catch them in the act, you know what I mean? The other thick shelled eggs (laid in the nesting box) haven't been eaten, for the record. Any thoughts or suggestions?
A few days after she started this, her shells became very thin. I'm smashed a few trying to crack them because I'm used to that super thick shell that the rest of them have. Yesterday, I checked for eggs and noticed that next to the nesting box, on the ground, the sand was wet. Then I saw a smashed shell next to it. Uh oh.
Today, more of the same. She laid again by the door and the sand was wet. I barely could see a shell because she ate most of it.
They have free choice oyster shell 24/7, always have. I gave them more yesterday and no one has touched it, at least that I can tell. It's been much warmer here than usual (80-90 degrees). I've read that warm weather might trigger some of these behaviors, but it's only going to get warmer.
So how do I go about fixing this? I don't even know if she's the one eating it. It's hard to catch them in the act, you know what I mean? The other thick shelled eggs (laid in the nesting box) haven't been eaten, for the record. Any thoughts or suggestions?
