Hens eating their own eggs! WWYD?

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

We've got eight ex-battery hens who're living in our old milking shed at the moment. We moved them indoors for the winter as last winter when they were outside in the open pen they just didn't thrive, so this year we've moved them inside.

They have layers pellets mixed in with some poultry grit and some crushed eggshells, and plenty of water.

They have laying boxes all along one wall, but often will just drop an egg wherever it suits them. They're bedded down on sawdust/deep litter.

They've been laying quite well up to now, I've often been picking up three or so eggs per day; however this week I've noticed they've dropped off a bit, and put this down to seasonal/end of laying cycle. BUT...... this morning, I caught one little blighter in the act of picking at an egg in the laying box!!!! She'd punctured the shell and was eating up the contents! Little monkey.

But this isn't what we want!!! We don't want them eating the eggs!!!

Any ideas as to how to stop this anyone???

 

[Elsbells]

You have to dispatch that hen I'm afraid as once they starts it doesn't stop and it will spread to the others! Also, collect the eggs early in the morning, the longer they are available the more likely they'll get broken and that's when the hens realise that they taste nice too.

 

[Clodagh]

Neck the culprit!
Failing that, put little curtains across the nest boxes so they are dark, and make the bedding in them really deep. It might be worth trying that as a first resort. Also put in a crock egg so she gets bored pecking it, but pick up real eggs ASAP.
We have always culled ours that do it though, the risk of it spreading is too high.

 

[gingerarab]

mine did this ! i coated some eggs in the hottest pataks curry past i could find and let them have a go. much to my disgust they ate them all and i was wondering if i should of supplied nan bread, but i tell you they never ever did it again.

 

[cremedemonthe]

We cured them by leaving a egg shell in the nestbox and filling it with the hottest mustard you can find

 

[Buddy'sMum]

I thought feeding eggshells wasn't such a good idea because it can give them a taste for eggshells (and contents)? Maybe stop that for a while and see if that helps?
One of my chooks does this sometimes, I just try to remove the eggs before she gets the chance, so far none of the others have caught the habit.

 

[cremedemonthe]

I grind up old egg shells and add those to their grit and oyster shell, good way of recycling the calcium

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Mmm, thanks for replies. I asked my mum, who's very good with chicken problems, and she said we might have to cull the offender(s). She knew of a situation where the whole flock had to be culled once, because they were eating all the eggs!

Blimmin things! I grind up the old eggshells and add it to their hanging feeder thing, so as to give them enough calcium so that they don't NEED to eat eggshells!!!

The mustard is an idea......... dunno whether Cribbox would work???

 

[JillA]

I wonder if she is deficient in protein? Mine get cat or dog food (dry biscuits soaked) and or bacon rinds etc, from time to time, plus they free range so scavenge the muck heap for worms. I did have an episode of egg eating but no longer, since they have had meat in their diets - after all, they do eat invertebrates so I guess plant based products like corn aren't actually enough?

 

[Suelin]

Neck it! T'is the only way sadly.

 

[Bestdogdash]

I thought feeding eggshells wasn't such a good idea because it can give them a taste for eggshells (and contents)? Maybe stop that for a while and see if that helps?
One of my chooks does this sometimes, I just try to remove the eggs before she gets the chance, so far none of the others have caught the habit.

^^^^ this. Once they get a taste for eggshell some just go for it. I never give mine eggshell, only grit, oyster shell etc.

 

[debsandpets]

Either neck it or provide roll away nest boxes for the chooks to use.

I have one that eats the occasional egg - damned if I know who it is though- (only after the egg gets broken by others and I need to get a roll away this coming spring - preferably sooner, but OH is reluctant to spend money on the chooks). I have a mixed flock of Orpingtons - which are the culprits for breaking the eggs as they are so bloomin dumb and clumsy in the nest box, and Marans, Leghorns, Black Rocks, Campines, Cotswold Cream Legbars, Warrens, and a lone Silkie.

They do say NOT to feed egg shell as a calcium boost as it can encourage them to start egg eating.

 

[Honey08]

We had one that was doing it. We never managed to work out which. We got my retired dad to go down and remove the eggs mid morning, that seemed to work.

I've heard of the mustard trick. It would be better than cribbox as its the right colour.. I've also heard putting the fake eggs in helps (plastic ones you can get at Pets at Home and other shops) as they can't break them so they soon get bored of it. I don't like the idea of feeding shell, but I have heard of a lot of people that do.

 

[RaynerK]

I caught one of mine doing this recently. I have put it down to boredom and lack of environmental enrichment. Its pretty bleak and muddy atm with no grass or any thing to peck at so they peck at their eggs. I have scattered meal worms and turf in the run so they can busy themselves scavenging and it hasn't happened again since.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

if you feel they are bored-cut up a butternut squash for them, they love it and it'll last a few days, hang up greens etc and yep, give a little extra protein.

 

[WelshD]

Making the nest box and/or coop darker will definitely help, this would be my number one point of action, it can stop the problem overnight.
Collecting the eggs as soon as you can and substituting them for ceramic or plastic eggs or even golf balls will help

Remember especially that exbatts didnt come in to contact with their eggs before so they are somewhat of a novelty to them, the habit is often blamed on a difficiency or boredom but I honestly think its simply that they have discovered that eggs are very tasty, it sometimes starts with one that got broken by accident or had a weak shell

If they are weak the shells can be made a little harder by adding some cod liver oil to the feed (just a drop) this will help them absorb the calcium in the feed and oyster shell.

I dont think that culling the offender is the only option but if it will stop the problem I wouldnt be averse to it - I would try the above tips first though as I have never had a problem get out of hand and I must have bred and raised hundreds of chooks

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

Um, following on........... and by the way thanks for all the advice, and what I'm now going to ask is failing all else......

So....... IF we (gulp) decided to cull the whole lot of them, because TBH I suspect they're all at it; we were wondering if there is anybody "out there" who is, shall we say, a "professional slaughterer". By this I mean someone who could come in and cull the lot of them (8 in all), and we would know they'd do the job properly (i.e. humanely) and then prepare the birds for the table. OK so they'd be as tough as old boots, but they'd probably casserole-down and that way we'd get something out of them (OK sounds awful I know, and not for the fluffy bunnies).

Has anyone used a professional "slaughterer"????? There is someone we know who's an experienced game-keeper who'd do the cull for us, but not the prepping for the table bit probably.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

can you not fit roll away laying boxes? as far as eating, I can't think they'll be worth the effort tbh, they'll be tough and nothing on them. I'll probably get flamed, but I can be bothered with ex bats, I breed dual-purpose for eggs and meat.

if you do want to eat, the best/easiest thing to do is skin them and take the parts you do want-ie breast (though there really wont be any on a laying bird)-easier than plucking etc

 

[*hic*]

I've kept ex-batts for years and I'd suspect yours are bored after having got used to being outside. When you say they didn't thrive, what exactly do you mean? I'd leave the door open so they can't get outside.

If you're feeding eggshell it needs to be dried and crushed really small.

I never got any joy with porcelain eggs, mustard egg worked though.

Nest boxes must be in darkest spot and/or curtained off.

They will be tough as heck but as MoC says skin them and just whip off the breasts and legs. As for killing them, if you're going to keep hens it's sensible to learn how to do them yourself. The simplest is the broomstick method, there are any number of descriptions and videos on the method available online.

 

[WelshD]

There are a couple of groups on Facebook for help with culling. pm me if you need to know details or any other information on culling

There will be minimal if any meat on them, perhaps offer them to a feret owner if you know any?

Honestly though making the shed as dark as possible may well be all you need to do

 

[FairyLights]

We thought we had an egg eater, turned out to be a magpie who was nipping into the henhouse and helping himself.
we have found feeding plenty of oystershell grit things like carrots and greens and cat food is good as well as mash and corn this should stop them starting in the first place. an egg shell filled with english mustard is a great deterrent so its always necessary to dispatch the hen.

 

[RaynerK]

if you feel they are bored-cut up a butternut squash for them, they love it and it'll last a few days, hang up greens etc and yep, give a little extra protein.

May be a silly question but should this be cooked or just as it is?

 

[Honey08]

Either, they will eat it either way.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

May be a silly question but should this be cooked or just as it is?

either as H08 says although I tend to give it raw-I use the top end and given them the pesky bottom end-they love the seeds as well.

 

[cobgoblin]

there is no need to cull the hen. All chickens will eat eggs- it usually starts with a broken one. Make sure the nest boxes are dark and that they have plenty of oystershell and let them out, that way they won't be hanging around when others lay.

 

[Fionalex]

We cured them by leaving a egg shell in the nestbox and filling it with the hottest mustard you can find

This^^^

Honestly this works, no need to remove hens etc, just trick them, they wont do it again!

 

[Fionalex]

Um, following on........... and by the way thanks for all the advice, and what I'm now going to ask is failing all else......

So....... IF we (gulp) decided to cull the whole lot of them, because TBH I suspect they're all at it; we were wondering if there is anybody "out there" who is, shall we say, a "professional slaughterer". By this I mean someone who could come in and cull the lot of them (8 in all), and we would know they'd do the job properly (i.e. humanely) and then prepare the birds for the table. OK so they'd be as tough as old boots, but they'd probably casserole-down and that way we'd get something out of them (OK sounds awful I know, and not for the fluffy bunnies).

Has anyone used a professional "slaughterer"????? There is someone we know who's an experienced game-keeper who'd do the cull for us, but not the prepping for the table bit probably.

Not being mean..but why would you cull the whole lot? :-( You can stop them doing it i promise...