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

[Misty]

Hi Can anyone help please - my two girls who we've had for 13 months have both started eating their eggs. It seemed to start about 2 weeks but it may have been going on a little longer but only spotted the first shell in the run last week. We've not changed their brand of pellets etc. and are racking our brains to work out why they've started and how to stop them. The past week we've taken turns to be up at dawn and check the next box every few minutes but it happens so fast, within minutes of one of them laying in the next box they are both pecking away at it. Has anyone any suggestions please.

[Hen Watch]

Sounds like you are doing the right thing in collecting them asap.

 

Mine will eat thin shelled eggs. And I don't mean softies, I mean ones that are perfectly normal but when you crack them open they only need one light tap instead of a wallop. Have your latest eggs had thinner shells than usual? If so maybe some limestone flour is needed.

 

Or perhaps putting something disgusting tasting on an egg to put them off. Not sure what, but someone may come along with some help.

[lisa33]

Try putting a rubber or ceramic egg in the nest.

[stoice]

I noticed my Mabel would turn around and peck her egg as soon as she'd layed it, not sure if it's a regular habit that chickens do or not - maybe testing it or just curious. It's possible this behaviour has evolved in one of your chooks. Once an egg is broken It'd be simply irresistable. a similar problem encountered here... http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=29675

[Snowy]

Unfortunately once they learn that they can break the shell and the contents are good to eat, it can be quite hard to stop them. Remove laid aggs as quickly as possible; some suggest blowing an egg and refilling it with a paste of english mustard (although some hens have been know to eat these ) and placing it in the nest; putting some rubber or ceramic eggs in the nest. Failing all that, you may have to resort to a roll away nest box where the egg rolls away out of reach of the hens. Hope this helps.

[Misty]

Many thanks for all the suggestions so far. I think we'll have to try them all and see what happens.

 

The girls are so quick, if the eggs are not collected immediately then they are straight at them. It was so disappointing to see yoke dripping from their beaks this morning having checked the next box only 5 minutes earlier.

 

The shells are hard and any egg remains are immediately remove.

 

What are the options if we can't break the habit?

[stoice]

bumper bits and roll away nest boxes?