Poorly chicken

[alih]

I have 2 hens and have just witnessed one of them wait outside the nesting box whilst the other was laying. The second number 2 had laid her egg, number 1 grabbed it, ran off and snaffled it shell first in almost a single gulp. Poor Daphne did not know what had hit her. Scooby does not eat her own eggs, which she lays earlier in the day.

Is this just a matter of putting a golf ball in there to deter any future efforts or should I try and keep Scooby out while Daphne lays? Any advice very welcome, thank you.

PS. They have plenty of calcium in their diet as I give them extra with their pellets. 

 

 

[Cat tails]

Egg eating is a very difficult habit to break. You could try fitting her with a bumpabit. She would have more trouble breaking the shell.

[The Dogmother]

1 hour ago, Cat tails said:

Egg eating is a very difficult habit to break. You could try fitting her with a bumpabit. She would have more trouble breaking the shell.

Agreed - works to break that habit, here's how to fit one

[Beantree]

I caught Bluebell 'red handed' with Lily's egg last week. She had taken it out of the nest box and had just started to eat it on the floor of the coop. I took the white egg out and replaced it straight away with a white pot egg (ceramic). Went back a few hours later and the egg had been moved about a lot. Next day Lily laid another and Bluebell left it alone and hasn't touched one since. Guess the memory of a sore beak and headache linger for quite a while.