Egg Eating Criminal Witches!!

[dewdropsinwv]

I sure don't want my chickens eating the eggs... I use too many to let them be eaten.... Should I be giving the chickens feed with calcium??? they are on finisher feed right now.... no layer yet

 

[bj taylor]

if they're not laying yet, I wouldn't worry about calcium. I do mostly free range, so my situation is not the same. I give flock raiser to all of them & if my layers were penned, I would put oyster shell out for them separately as free choice.

gosh, that monty's got a mean streak. butt tattoos? dewdrop, you're going to have to keep an eye on him. he's going to be trying to tattoo your chickens

 

[so lucky]

Bay, are the shells of the eaten eggs weaker/thinner than the eggs that aren't eaten? I am wondering if you have a chicken or two who just lay thin shelled eggs that break, then the girls all jump in to eat their prize. In my view, a chicken that eats a pre-broken egg is not in the same category as a chicken who deliberately breaks an egg to eat it. I know some people say a chicken will become an egg breaker/eater once they get the taste for it, but is that proven, or an old wife's tale?

 

[dewdropsinwv]

Mine are not laying just yet, but I think a few are getting close. A couple of them have bright red waddles and combs. We need to get the nest boxes built this coming weekend.

 

[digitS']

. . . I know some people say a chicken will become an egg breaker/eater once they get the taste for it, but is that proven, or an old wife's tale?

I don't think that there is any "once an egg-eater, always an egg-eater."

I have had hens that ate eggs. Once they could no longer see the egg in the nest, the egg eating stopped . . . of course. Later, lighter tarps were over the nest and there were no more incidents of egg eating. I have never killed a hen because eggs were eaten.

Steve

 

[baymule]

Bay, are the shells of the eaten eggs weaker/thinner than the eggs that aren't eaten? I am wondering if you have a chicken or two who just lay thin shelled eggs that break, then the girls all jump in to eat their prize. In my view, a chicken that eats a pre-broken egg is not in the same category as a chicken who deliberately breaks an egg to eat it. I know some people say a chicken will become an egg breaker/eater once they get the taste for it, but is that proven, or an old wife's tale?

They were eating too many eggs for it to be one or two hens with thin egg shells. I figure that an egg cracked and they liked it enough to go crack some them selves. Since removing the 3 "BAD GIRLS" I am getting eggs again. That Donna Summer song "Bad girls" keeps replaying like an earworm. I sing it to the pullets.

 

[mrcman]

Baymule,

I'm also experiencing some of the egg eating. Only a few a day.

When you say you "removed" the bad girls...did you remove them like in separate them to a separate pen or did you mean you "REMOVED" them?? I'm curious if separation would help solve the problem.

Tony

 

[baymule]

I put them in another cage. I just spent the last 6 months raising these ungrateful hussies and they WILL lay eggs for ME and not eat them! I have always thought a roll out nest box would be a good idea, so now I have that kick in the butt I guess I needed to get it done. I also have 6 Silver Laced Wyandottes I got in March and they should start laying in September. So I need to expand the nesting area anyway so there will be enough places for the fluffy bottoms. Not that it will matter, they usually all want the same spot anyway.

 

[secuono]

I hate egg eaters. One tiny hen decided to start laying on her own outside the coop. Then I found her eating her own eggs. Nature took care of her about a week later, she died of?? Which really sucks, she was a very sweet golden duckwing OEGB I've had for about 3yrs.
I smack and chase off hens that decide to eat eggs, usually stops them, then I lock them up if it doesn't. Never had to cull any for being stupid yet.