WOW saw my hen lay two eggs in a row

[Eliza]

hey, I never saw this before - hen standing more upright than usual - tail pointed down, eyes closed, grunting and then POP a nice egg - too bad those greedy other hens with eyes gleaming grabbed it - broke it and ran off with the shell! AND while I was still flabbergasted, my hen walked off a little ways and DID IT AGAIN - and while I was still being flabbergasted - those greedy hens ate that one too!

I'm feeding Gamebird maintenance crumbles which have 22% protein, they get dairy, today they all had oatmeal mixed with fresh green peas, and they were free ranging today (it's the weekend so they get a weekend pass).

Was it my bad or what when I gave the girls crushed up egg shells from breakfast - have they developed a taste for their own? Or is this the nature of hens? Also, my hen who was laying had what appeared to be a red tomato in her vent area that when I examined it retracted back inside so I am assuming that this is normal egg landing gear in normal egg laying operations?

 

[Reinbeau]

Egg eating is bad, I don't know anything other than what I've read here. You have a problem on your hands

 

[flakey chick]

Separate the egg eatters out of your flock. They will teach everyone to be bad bad bad. Some people claim success with the mustard trick. You blow out the egg and replace it which mustard. Supposedly chickens can't stand mustard.

I don't think there is a nutritional problem. As long as you crush the eggshells up well, they aren't supposed to be able to figure out that they are egg shells.

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
They need laying pellets and also grit to make egg shell tougher .

DH was told by and old man that raised chickens 28 years to NEVER give crushed egg shells to your hens/ pullets ... thats probably WHY they are breaking and eating the eggs . They get a taste for it , they will be back , kinda like a dog that gets the taste of blood , they WILL be back and continue . You got a major problem with egg eaters . ALOT of times my hens do lay as much as 8 eggs in same nest and never once did any of the eggs get broken , or hens breaking and eating them . HOW MANY HENS DO YOU HAVE ?

 

[kinnip]

Oyster shell may help. It's almost pure calcium. If it's become a real habit, you may want to try fake eggs in the nest boxes, and picking up the real eggs the second you hear the "I just layed" noises. How big was this protrusion from the vent?

 

[Eliza]

Thanks! One more question, I had everyone on Layer Pellets, but then I read that Gamebird feed had higher protein, which it does; so what is the difference between the two feeds then. Should I mix the Gamebird feed with the Layer pelleted feed? Because it is winter, there aren't that many bugs out there, so less protein, hence the switch.

What's the best source for calcium -the Oyster?

 

[Eliza]

Oh, the red tissue thing was about the size of a cherry tomato. I immediately picked up the hen and looked, the vent retracted and returned inside the body. The stance of the hen caught my attention immediately, but having never witnessed a hen lay an egg, I wasn't sure if this was natural - to my untutored eye it did not look "good"... Hen went into the henhouse and pottered about - all systems go - drank water and ate food...

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

You're lucky that your girls let you watch them lay. If they see me while they are trying they get this air about them, all pissy like "Do YOU mind?!" and then stare at me until I leave all head down and offended.
Use it your advantage now with the egg eating.
I have a wonderful neighbor, Wally, an older no none-sense man who has farming in his bones. He raised over 100 birds a year for meat on his little farm until about 12 years ago and then he had his 50 or so layers alone.. He knows chickens. He says no crushed egg shell because in his experience it makes egg eaters...

The grit I buy is oystershell...


Oh and

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
I had no idea between the 2 feeds , just know I tried other feed and had to ALSO GIVE the regular laying pellets ...

your local feedstore has grit in granules ... we give it twice a week

 

[sewincircle]

Mine are the same way.

They wont do anything until I am gone.