Alis girls Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I have tried everything to stop these ladies eating their eggs. 1 Greens 2 Egg shell improver 3 Grit 4 checking nestbox at crack of dawn and during day to remove them 5 Pot eggs in nest box 6 Mustard in shells. I am at a loss. Have had to buy eggs this week as only 2/3 laying. Any ideas oh bright Omleteers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladylil Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Hi Sorry to hear about your girls eating their eggs, how frustrating! Have you tried placing a couple of ceramic (fake) eggs in the nest box? Is the nest box dark enough and do they have enough of them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 It's a very difficult thing to stop once started Alis Girls. The only thing I can add to your list is a curtain at the front of the nest box, so the eggs are not in view. Hens will tap their own eggs once laid to check the shell thickness and we had one who pecked holes in the thin ones, which is the point at which egg eating could have started. We made sure she was getting enough sunlight and only layers pellets and the shells thickened and the potential problem stopped. But we have had one hen who laid an egg and ate it immediately, regardless of the shell thickness. In that case it was PTS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 My ex batts used to, I added china eggs to the nestbox and made sure they were getting a good diet and that stopped it but Agnes the only left will eat her egg if the shell is poor but leaves it if it has a good shell. Can you fit in a drop away nestbox, not sure if that the right term have visions of lots of smashed eggs but one where the eggs roll away and the chooks can't get to them. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 Thanks guys - they have pot eggs which they kick into run and the roll away nest box went the same way Today I was too late the egg was eaten. The shells seem thick - extra calcium added to feed and vitamins. They get sunlight when its out which isnt often - I get one egg a day if I can rescue from them. I despiar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 Hadnt thought of blind - might get OH to rig summat up. Venetian or Australian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 We use Wilco rubber car mats Alisgirls. Slit them at 15mm wide up to 2" from the top and hang them in front of the box. They soon get the hang of getting in and out. We have them fitted to all our coops and have no egg eating problems. The only time we had a problem was when I removed one curtain,only because the cockerel used to panic because one of his girls had gone missing. He's a bright little chap; he can count to three whereas the others can only count to two and don't notice the third missing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted February 28, 2014 Author Share Posted February 28, 2014 I feel like giving up - i egg a day and thats eaten. Joking aside I've had enough. have tried everything - propped door ajar so they cant see egg. My OH said we should cull them but i feel awful doing this to a chicken I am very fond off. Also i dont think I could do it. I also dont want to leave one hen alone. Help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 If it' just one hen doing the eating and the shells are strong, would a Bumpa bit stop her breaking the shell open Alisgirls? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted March 1, 2014 Author Share Posted March 1, 2014 Hadnt thought of that - I forgot to mention the hen I think is doing it has a wonky beak The vet did look at it years ago and said if she can eat etc leave well alone. Its part of her charm. I have been egg watching this am but I suspect now I;m on here they will have eaten . I will look into bumper bits - are they easy to fit and she will be able to eat and drink? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted March 1, 2014 Author Share Posted March 1, 2014 Sorry Beantree - thanks you have been very helpful - will look into this. Ali x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Bumpa bits are only easy to fit if you have what are called 'external circlip pliers' Alisgirls. I'm not sure how it would fit a deformed beak but it only clips to the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted March 1, 2014 Author Share Posted March 1, 2014 i have rescued an egg warm and sticky and hot off the press (or out the bum!!) The shell is very hard - I wonder if I could get OH to rig up an alarm when an egg is laid so one us can run out and nab it. i think the stress is getting to me. i am fighting a hen for eggs - white coated men approaching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted March 2, 2014 Share Posted March 2, 2014 Been there Alisgirls. But I immediately swapped the fresh egg for a pot one of the same size and colour. The culprit went in and bashed her beak on it. Presumeably a serious headache resulted. After a few times she became far more cautious and only thin shelled eggs got broken. Now she leaves them alone completely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 Update - well I dont pretend to understand hens anymore than I understand cats or men My set up for my 2 girls is an Eglu Go and run plus a small wooden house built when I was introducing new girls by my lovely hubbie. For some reason I cant fathom the girls prefer the wooden one Any way when i last posted Maggie was laying her egg on the floor of wooden house on easibed and newspaper and then munching away. Anyway having purchased the bumpa bits I was ready to try them but had a - I had one wooden pallet which OH had knocked together for apple storage and we cut a square out and put roll away nest box in it. I covered the area with easibed for warmth and waited. Result 7 un pecked eggs over 7 days and they hadnt even rolled out of sight. I can only surmise that hens like summat to nest in. Why for years I have had no problems I dont know. As i say the way these girls tick is beyond me. Anyway I hope my egg eating troubles are behind me. fingers crossed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mimi5 Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Yay Success Enjoy your eggs I don't try an fathom out the chickens.........a headache will ensue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted March 14, 2014 Author Share Posted March 14, 2014 Huh spoke to soon - yesterday I found the remains of an egg I was eyeballing the pair of naughty girls and said "why? you are well fed and spoilt rotten - why are you taking MY eggs?" white coated men appear - woman talking to hens - not normal Today OH was on egg patrol and rescued the egg - I got a text at work saying " egg has landed" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted March 26, 2014 Author Share Posted March 26, 2014 Caught in the act today - one eats the other lies in wait. I have two options as I want to get new girls - but whats the point if the eggs get eaten. Do I cull (I couldnt do it myself as I am a wuss) or try bumper bits which I have got but look might tricky to use. Bit fed to say the least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Rather than culling is there anyone who would take them eg childrens farm, wildlife centre etc?? maybe they would stop egg eating in different environment. Then you could get some new ladies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 You could try stopping them laying for a while Sparkysmum by only giving them a wheat diet. Bumpa bits may work then and perhaps the pot eggs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
