Egg eating problem

[Little Lottie]

Hi,

I got me Ex Bats back in April. Everything started quite well. We were getting on average 4 eggs each day from 5 girls. recently this had dropped to 3. I noticed egg shells in the nest box and firstly assumed that it was a soft shelled egg that had been squashed by one of the other girls but this is not the case. Over the last couple of weeks I have witnessed one of the girls breaking and eating the eggs. Today I found two of them at it! I am now worried that they will all start. Help what can I do??

[MaureenHall]

I've had this too with 2 of my ex-batts! I do still sometimes get the odd "squashy" that they eat, and this might have been the cause of them getting a taste for fresh eggs.
My daughter gave me one of the 2 china "pretend" eggs she bought when she first had chooks (looks really realistic!) I put that in the nest box with a really deep layer of shredded newspaper - for the new eggs to be hidden in, or not so obviously on show. It seems to have worked, there's loads of peck-marks on the dummy egg, so perhaps they've given in in disgust

[Little Lottie]

Thanks Maureen,

I will give it a go, I have seen them for sale but thought they were just for broody hens. Anthing is better than my other halfs solution of - the culprits have to go!

[di]

We've thankfully never had the problem,but a while back were told "if they do"...to wash out an old eggshell&paint the inside with mustard,then place in nestbox nice side up,apparentlyonce they've tasted the mustard it supposedly puts them off doing it again.Can't vouch for it working,as said we've not neede to try,but the chap who told us tended free range chickens for many years.

[Hilary B]

The only other option is a moderately complicated system to collect eggs where the hens can't get at them. I've seen designs in an old hen-keeping book, and they see to be within the scope of a DIYer. Basically the nest box has a false floor, sloping to the egg-wide 'slot' at one side, and once the egg has rolled down there, it cannot be got at until you come to collect.
One hen I had would invariably finish off a damaged egg, but never attacked a whole one, so you may only have ONE real egg-thief, in which case I would get rid of her.

[Little Lottie]

I am hoping that I can stop them. It seems cruel to rescue them and then a couple of months later send them or her for the chop!

[Pumpkin Becki]

Another reason for egg eating becoming a habit is that the girls aren't getting enough calcium in their diet, or they are using it up growing new feathers (bearing in mind they are ex-bats, I guess their feathers were a bit the worse for wear when you got them).

You could try putting a supplement in their feed, like poultry spice, and make sure they have daily access to grit containing oystershell, but if they have now got the taste for fresh eggs, you could try the other grapes suggestions (which are well known remedies) and always collect the eggs as soon as everyone has laid for the day, don't wait til you close them up for the night.

[Little Lottie]

Thanks but they always have a good supply of grit and I put poultry spice in with their food about twice a week. I also collect the eggs as soon as possible. The main culprit actually waits whilst one of the others are laying to peck at the egg once it is layed. Hopefully the mustard or pot egg will work.

[Pumpkin Becki]

Cheeky little monkey! At least you know which one it is - sometimes that's the hardest bit. Best of luck

[Little Lottie]

The problem is I know which one it is at the time but I hope I don't pick on the wrong one! My other half is going to build another run so I am going to try and seperate her for a while and see if this helps.