surferdog Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 After A for Aggression, B for broodiness, C for crowing, D for deficiency (calcium) we are now on to Egg eating. My fault, Sylvie had been in the nest box all day even with ice packs so finally turfed her out to free-range. She kept trying to get back in but I ignored her. I've just found a pecked empty egg shell on the lawn so obviously she did really want to lay, laid her egg on the lawn and they've all scoffed it. My question: is this likely to be a one-off or is this going to be the start of a major problem? I'm sorry to ask so many questions but we've only had them 8 weeks and can't believe we've encountered so many problems already. Beginning to get a little bit despondent to be honest, I hadn't expected it to be quite this difficult Off to prepare for the Foxes and Flies now......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 Probably a one off at this stage. I'd remove eggs as soon as you can for a few days, handy that it is a bank hol weekend, just to nip it in the bud. If they do start to make a habit of it, a few ceramic eggs in the nesting box may help. Once they have hurt their beaks a couple of times trying to peck those, the should give up, or you could blow the contents out of a few eggs and fill them with mustard. That is a well tried remedy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 Did you actually see the hens eating it? I left an egg in the garden waiting to go in and a magpie came down within half an hour and ate it. Other animals like rats would also gobble up an egg. I have found eggs in all sorts of funny places, but the hens have never attempted to eat them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 Don't feel despondent surferdog, we have all been there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 Mine have only eaten eggs when they've stood on them or they've cracked on landing I think you've just been unlucky with this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surferdog Posted May 24, 2008 Author Share Posted May 24, 2008 Thanks everybody . I think we may have got away with it this time. This morning both Coco and Hyacinth laid on the roosting bars (because Sylvie was hogging the nest box again) and came straight out to crow about it. They made no attempt to eat either of the eggs. I didn't seen them do it so possibly could have been a magpie but was definitely pecked with the yolk splattered about. I will be more careful in future. On a more positive note (and at the risk of tempting fate) Sylvie has lost interest in the nesting box today. May have something to do with trying to hatch out several ice blocks yesterday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 Glad to hear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted May 25, 2008 Share Posted May 25, 2008 My hens will eat a broken egg or a shell-less egg with relish, and in fact one of them finished off the egg that the magpie had broken into (I shoo'd the magpie away, but my little Amber Star who can always find a way through the netting got out and cleared it up when I wasn't looking). I imagine that hens would do the same in nature if they stepped on an egg: it is the ultimate in recycling, and keeps the nest clean. But I think it is quite unusual for a hen to deliberately break an egg. At least I hope so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
