4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[h&schickens]

Had 6 eggs today out of a possible 8.. Good news as i have only had the hens a month!

 

But, one was just inside the front door of the shed, was broken and looked like it had been pecked at.

 

Its the first time 6 have been laid, so is there a chance that it was the 1st egg for a hen?

 

All other eggs were in the nestbox so I am hoping that it was a first egg.

 

Am i in danger of having a hen having a taste bud for eggs?

 

All replies really appreciated!!!

[Christian]

It could be that one was caught short and didn't make it to the nest box in time? Or it was a first egg and she didn't know what to do?

 

It is unlikely you have an egg eater. One of mine often lays softies and the others eat the egg if I don't get to it first. They have never eaten a solid egg as far as I know

[Egluntyne]

Sounds like someone was caught short as Christian says.

 

If it cracked on impact, they are bound to have pecked at it...they love the taste of raw egg.

 

The recommendation is one nest box per 4 hens, to prevent queueing. Have you got this ratio?

[h&schickens]

I have got 3 massive nest boxes (about 2ft x 2ft) 8 hens!

[TAJ]

One of mine sometimes does not lay an egg with a full shell - there is a circle of shell missing - when she lays these they are usually in the run and they end up eating the egg, but you can see from the shell where it is not fully formed & soft in places.

 

All 'normal' eggs are laid in the nesting box and never eaten/pecked, so I wouldn't worry too early about this.

 

Tracy

[Chooks Aloud]

I've put extra nest boxes in, but cannot get them to use them. They just create or push the other one off. I've got another container inside the eglu and I've put a washing up bowl underneath the eglu both filled with aubiose but they will not use them.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Karen