Ammonia smell in coop-first time owner

[SteveC]

Hi there. I recently lost one of my girls - she suffered complications whilst laying which caused lots of blood. And then one of the other girls got involved. So I'm not sure what actually finished her off. Anyway, at the same time, the egg she was laying got broken, and I guess some got eaten. Since then, I am constantly finding broken & empty shells and no complete eggs - eating the egg seems to have become a habit.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to stop this - I have tried to remove eggs promptly but never manage to time it quite right. Do I need to resort to seperating my remaining 2 girls? Any help would be appreciated.

[Leeloo]

I've heard some people say to put dummy eggs in the nest box. Others say to put blown eggs filled with hot mustard in the box.

 

I've also heard that egg eating is more likely to occur in eggs with thin shells which was the case with one of my hens. She was laying eggs with soft or thin shells which got eaten. I started offering oyster shell which didn't seem to help. I read online that mealworms are beneficial because they assist in calcium absorption. This is purely anecdotal, I have no scientific evidence which suggests this claim is true, but I had a bag so I started giving them a handful a day and I finally got a normal egg from her yesterday!

[Egluntyne]

Collect the eggs early and frequently if you can, and if you identify the culprit, fit a bumpa bit.

[KimmyCustard]

I've also had this problem and working 12 hour shift work have never timed it to collect the eggs before scoffing commenced! I have had thin shelled eggs and one broke, the eating began then.

 

I found that giving the girls some feed soaked in milk has cured them of it. The milk was suggested due to the calcium in it, even though I have oyster grit ad lib and given them limestone flour on their feed, one or two out of four girls was egg eating. I would suggest the milk isnt given too often as chickens have trouble digesting lactose, but if you water it down and only give it twice a week, it may help yours as it did mine.

[Mr Rhode Island Red]

As said before, collect eggs frequently.

 

Also, if the problem persists, you can try poking a small hole with a pin at the top and bottom of a raw egg, literally blow the contents out into a bowl, and then using a syringe etc, fill the egg with mustard, and then put the egg(s) in the nestbox(es). You won't be long turning them off egg eating

[snaps]

I second Mr Rhode Island Red's suggestion of the mustard egg.

 

I went to a great deal of trouble to make a perfect mustard egg the first time but as this is a problem that has raised its head on more than one occasion I have become more slapdash.

 

I use an egg that I've broken for cooking (as neatly as possible as it helps), fill it with a mixture of mustard powder, water and pieces of kitchen paper to pad it out, sellotape it up and place it near the hens to encourage them to 'have a go'.

 

So far it has worked a treat - just as well as my better effort.

 

If an egg gets broken by accident one of mine just can't help herself so I occasionally have to repeat the mustard egg treatment. It never seems to occur to my other hen to try and peck an egg.

[SteveC]

Thanks for the suggestions Guys. I will let you know how I get on!

 

Steve