Unsecure chicken perches

[kevf1]

ok..

 

i have two warrens... one of them had problems with eggs being either soft or very thin shells and we put lime flour in with the mash and they seemed to be happy with that and eggs came back to normal.. other girl was fine..

 

i took them to a chicken holiday farm when we went to devon... and picked them up a week last sunday.. we didn't have eggs for the first couple of days ... wasn't worried as it was a change of scenery.. but since we have only had 3 eggs... and i think all from 1 girl... that girl seems to have picked up a habit of pecking at stuff.. water feeder plastic bottle i use as a top up bottle... fingers ...

 

i think although i am not sure that one of them is eating eggs as i have found a couple of shells that are empty... but its only ever the one egg... which i am findng strange the problem is we both work so can't keep regular checks they haven't laid when we go to work... so we have to wait until we get home usually by then its too late... saying that the last two i have found broken one was in the litter tray the other ws outside the coop... i suspect the one laying is being a bully and not letting the other lay properly... not sure what i can do next... anyone got any ideas?

 

I am hoping to finish my WIR soon and get a few more girls but want to get this sorted first....

[kevf1]

ok no ideas then... ???

[Luvachicken]

sometimes I find shells with no egg but I don't think my two have worked out where it comes from.

99% of the time I get 2 eggs but sometimes I think they accidently break one and think ooo goody mummy has given us a treat. I don't think mine do it on purpose.

Sorry I can't offer any advice but hopefully someone will come along for you soon

[Heidi-Hi]

Could be one of the chickens, or I'm afraid you have to consider Mr. Rat too Try some mustard eggs - they seem to do the trick, and make sure rats can't get to the eggs. Hope that helps!

[kevf1]

thanks both..

 

i can't find any signs of rats.. i think and am hoping its just weak shells... and they are breaking them accidentally.. as the last two days they have had 2 eggs... i have started putting limeflour in there mash so hopefully they haven't realised yet where the egg is coming from... and are just breaking them accidentally...

 

thanks for your thoughts though

[Jools]

If you do have an egg-eater (and it's an easy habit for them to acquire), one solution is a rollaway nest box, but I don't know if anyone has ever tried one in an eglu?