speedqueen Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 hi all, can anyone tell me why one of my hens keeps smashing the eggs? Only one of my three girls has started laying this year, but my Ginger Warren keeps smashing them up before i get chance to take them out the naughty girl!! Any help would be greatly appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Once they get a taste for them, it is a hard habit hard to stop. Try collecting the eggs as soon as they have been laid. I found that roll away nesting boxes helped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedqueen Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 she is a bit of a grumpy lass sometimes. In fact we nearly had to bumper her 'cos she attacked one of my girls so badly last year. We are going to try leaving the hen house open into the secure run over night and see if it's because she feels penned in, in the morning before we let them out. Was looking at an automatic door system, but the budget wont allow just yet maybe she'll stop doing it when she starts to lay again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snaps Posted March 24, 2012 Share Posted March 24, 2012 If she's pecking and eating the eggs you might find a mustard egg helps. You keep the shells, as whole as possible but two halves seems to work too, and stuff them with mustard. I use powdered mustard and mix it with water and pieces of kitchen paper to really pack it in. Then masking or sellotape to close it up. Put it in the nest. I've had a couple of egg eaters (seemed to happen when they grew old for some reason) and this stopped them although I had to repeat it occasionally as they forget. I hope this isn't cruel. It didn't seem to do them any harm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedqueen Posted March 26, 2012 Author Share Posted March 26, 2012 We have been trying to be extra vigilant at collecting the egg as soon as it's laid. Luckily my girls tend to 'announce' that they have laid, but sometimes she's already whizzed in and had a go! the little devil We have also covered the window in the coop to make it totally dark until we let them out. There were two eggs this morning one was her's and neither were damaged. that was her first egg of this season. Hopefully now she's laying she may leave them alone. (fingers crossed) I hate buying eggs when i have 3 hens!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
