Soggy run

[carys]

Our two chickens have been laying soft eggs and eating the contents for about 6 weeks, I know they are both responsible as they both have yolk around their beaks! The shells are on the soft side. They do have access to oyster grit and plenty of water but don't seem that interested in the grit. I also bake and grind the shells for them. I have kept them in their run for the last month so they eat their allen and Page pellets until the afternoon when they free range. The egg shells are a bit thin, but not too bad i think.

 

We will have to buy some eggs soon unless they stop it. I try to nip out straight away, I've tried mustard, it just means they are more cautious!

 

Anyway, does anyone have a recommendation for a roll away nest box which will fit the eglu please??

 

Many thanks

[Olly]

never seen one ... I'm not sure how you could fit one to an Eglu.

 

Have you tried golf-balls or ceramic eggs? That's supposed to put them off because they dent their little beaks trying to peck them open.

Haven't tried it myself, but anything's worth a try - you must be so frustrated!

[hennymom]

we bought china eggs and they pecked at them for a while then gave up and have not touched any eggs..... try it for now until you get nest boxes sorted

good luck

[carys]

Thanks for your replies...

 

They were both sat in the eglu waiting for mango to lay an egg today so they could massacre it. I heard them doing their 'we've laid an egg squawk routine' but I was changing my 7 month old. I dashed out and they were in the run looking smug with yolk around their beaks.

 

I did look for some false eggs, bit only found rubber ones. Where did you get your ceramic eggs hennymom?

[chucknette]

Hi

 

I have seen the ceramic eggs in scats. Rubber ones would be ok as you just need to stop them pecking the eggs.

 

Unfortunately they will go for soft eggs as they are quick to break open.

 

You could try limestone flour in their feed as this will help to toughen up their egg shells. This can be bought from horse feed suppliers such as scats.

 

Hope this helps

 

Best Wishes

[hennymom]

we got our china eggs from the local poultry supplier..we just typed poultry supplies up in the search engine but Ebay also has them.. they are fab...if we have the odd mishap where one of girls accidentally lays in the run sometimes we put them back in the nest box for a while and they get back into the swing of things very soon....

[debbie26pet]

we have one that lays a reg soft egg, and we add all the limestone to my feed etc.

ive finding now if i add egg shells we have used and bake them she will lay eggs better, been experimenting we then just used the normal grit and the softs appeared, so now i add a egg shell a day to her food and im adding the grit to the feed as well.

and have a pot of extra grit at the side and touch wood not had a softy for a week of her.