Collector
Garden Master
I just use a plastic Easter egg to train them, when they start laying in the nest box they will not likely eat the eggs, anything out in the open is usually food so they will eat them. Good luck...
HELP!!!!!
- Thread starter dewdropsinwv
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Ridgerunner
Garden Master
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If an egg is broken, about any chicken will eat it. I dont consider that an egg-eater. To me, an egg eater is one that purposely opens a good egg to eat it.
I had one of those once, a Delaware I had been planning on keeping. She would open a couple of eggs a day and some of her buddies would help her eat them. It took a while to figure out which one was opening them. As soon as I figured out which one it was, she went to the crock pot. The problems were over. She had not yet taught her buddies to open a good egg.
What probably happened is that the pullet dropped an egg accidently. It was very thin shelled and it broke. Chickens did what chickens do and ate it. It is not at all unusual for a pullet to just drop her first egg wherever she is, on the roost, in the coop or run, wherever and whenever. Some of them just take a while to learn control.
Its also not at all unusual for a pullet to lay a strange egg at first. Sometimes you get soft or no shelled eggs. Quite often you get eggs with a real hard shell. Thats pretty normal. The egg is usually small and the shell gland makes enough shell material for a full sized egg. Those little ones can be real hard. You might get a yolkless egg, an egg with no yolk, or a double yolked egg. If these things happen, the pullet usually debugs her internal laying factory in just a few tries, certainly within two weeks.
With everything that has to happen, its pretty amazing to me that most pullets get it right the first time, laying a good egg in a nest.
I fully agree to get oyster shell and offer it on the side. Hens usually instinctively know they need the extra calcium for their egg shells. I would not mix it with the feed. The others arent laying yet. They dont need it. It may be that the pullet that laid the egg wasnt eating enough calcium or it may be that her shell gland still had some kinks in it. Give her time.
I also strongly believe in keeping a fake egg in the nest even if they are used to laying in those nests. It shows them where to lay. I use golf balls. I had a fake egg get scratched out of a nest because the lip was too low. It landed right in front of the nest. A hen laid an egg right beside that golf ball. When I fixed the low lip and put the golf ball back in the nest, she laid her next egg where she should.
Right now I would get the nests ready and make the oyster shell available, but I would not panic. Definitely observe them for any problems, but dont be shocked if things work out.
I had one of those once, a Delaware I had been planning on keeping. She would open a couple of eggs a day and some of her buddies would help her eat them. It took a while to figure out which one was opening them. As soon as I figured out which one it was, she went to the crock pot. The problems were over. She had not yet taught her buddies to open a good egg.
What probably happened is that the pullet dropped an egg accidently. It was very thin shelled and it broke. Chickens did what chickens do and ate it. It is not at all unusual for a pullet to just drop her first egg wherever she is, on the roost, in the coop or run, wherever and whenever. Some of them just take a while to learn control.
Its also not at all unusual for a pullet to lay a strange egg at first. Sometimes you get soft or no shelled eggs. Quite often you get eggs with a real hard shell. Thats pretty normal. The egg is usually small and the shell gland makes enough shell material for a full sized egg. Those little ones can be real hard. You might get a yolkless egg, an egg with no yolk, or a double yolked egg. If these things happen, the pullet usually debugs her internal laying factory in just a few tries, certainly within two weeks.
With everything that has to happen, its pretty amazing to me that most pullets get it right the first time, laying a good egg in a nest.
I fully agree to get oyster shell and offer it on the side. Hens usually instinctively know they need the extra calcium for their egg shells. I would not mix it with the feed. The others arent laying yet. They dont need it. It may be that the pullet that laid the egg wasnt eating enough calcium or it may be that her shell gland still had some kinks in it. Give her time.
I also strongly believe in keeping a fake egg in the nest even if they are used to laying in those nests. It shows them where to lay. I use golf balls. I had a fake egg get scratched out of a nest because the lip was too low. It landed right in front of the nest. A hen laid an egg right beside that golf ball. When I fixed the low lip and put the golf ball back in the nest, she laid her next egg where she should.
Right now I would get the nests ready and make the oyster shell available, but I would not panic. Definitely observe them for any problems, but dont be shocked if things work out.
- Thread starter
- #13
dewdropsinwv
Garden Addicted
Whew!!!! Thank you Ridgerunner!!!!! I did get oyster shells for them and most of the chicks were eating it 
... I set it in the coop in a seperate bowl for them. I will watch them close now and see if I can find out who is laying and who isn't. MontyJ has golf balls somewhere around here.:/ 
I did get oyster shells for them and most of the chicks were eating it ... I set it in the coop in a seperate bowl for them. I will watch them close now and see if I can find out who is laying and who isn't. MontyJ has golf balls somewhere around here.:/ 
the1honeycomb
Deeply Rooted
I love chicken people!! I have a small flock of 150 chickens~!! or so and I do all the things as above these guys have a lot of good advice!!!:coolsun
I use golf balls, and I worry about loosing the occassional egg. and Holly my EE is a mega egg eater!! Good luck with your flock!
I use golf balls, and I worry about loosing the occassional egg. and Holly my EE is a mega egg eater!! Good luck with your flock!
MeggsyGardenGirl
Chillin' In The Garden
I keep golf balls in my nest boxes off and on just to remind my hens that pecking eggs isn't a good idea. I'm pretty sure that any broken eggs I get are the result of thin shells and to be expected. I keep free choice oyster shell in the coop year round.
It's funny to open the back of the nest box for a someone and watch their shock to see golf balls instead of or along side eggs.
It's funny to open the back of the nest box for a someone and watch their shock to see golf balls instead of or along side eggs.
digitS'
Garden Master
Getting into a covered nestbox isn't tuff for a determined hen. They will easily push a piece of fabric in and let it fall back in place behind them.
Hinky IS a word and you never know about a pullet. Certainly, climbing a ladder to the nest can be too complicated for some of them.
I have had hens get in nests that I was trying to keep them out of (broodies). I had one hen that pushed the nestbox over and sat on top of it! The box was in a cage so she pushed the covered door and the whole thing back and squeezed straight up until she was in the cage but the nestbox was under her! You might be surprised how determined they can be if they've got their mind set on something . . .
Steve
Hinky IS a word and you never know about a pullet. Certainly, climbing a ladder to the nest can be too complicated for some of them.
I have had hens get in nests that I was trying to keep them out of (broodies). I had one hen that pushed the nestbox over and sat on top of it! The box was in a cage so she pushed the covered door and the whole thing back and squeezed straight up until she was in the cage but the nestbox was under her! You might be surprised how determined they can be if they've got their mind set on something . . .
Steve
- Thread starter
- #17
dewdropsinwv
Garden Addicted
I was catching chickens a while ago and putting them in the nest boxes to see how they would act. A few of the chickens didn't want anything to do with them... I did have one red sexlink stay in there and check it out for a few minutes. It was pretty cool watching her. My OL don't like to be touched at all, I'm trying to get them used to being touched and such. my red's are getting pretty friendly. ambers are not sure a couple will sit on my leg if I'm feeding them some treats though. I want them to be tame enough to be handled.
MontyJ
Deeply Rooted
Stew pot, stew pot, stew pot...mmmmMMMMMmmmm chicken soup.....
- Thread starter
- #19
dewdropsinwv
Garden Addicted
If goldilox doesn't stop being mean to the other chicks she will be home made chicken soup!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!MontyJ said:
baymule
Garden Master
Here ya go Monty, this will make it easier for ya.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/287684/new-rollout-nest-design-picture-heavy-edited-1-21
I just got my mats and will do a coop make over soon. We had tree cutters cut two HUGE limbs off a tree in the neighbors yard, but right up against the fence and leaning. The two limbs spanned across our back yard to the roof of our house. We were afraid the next hurricane would send it crashing through the middle of our house. Cutting those limbs off took a lot of weight off and maybe if it does fall, it will just go down the fence line. The bad part is-it shaded the coop and run. So I have to get creative, not just building new nest boxes, but something to provide some shade too. :/
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/287684/new-rollout-nest-design-picture-heavy-edited-1-21
I just got my mats and will do a coop make over soon. We had tree cutters cut two HUGE limbs off a tree in the neighbors yard, but right up against the fence and leaning. The two limbs spanned across our back yard to the roof of our house. We were afraid the next hurricane would send it crashing through the middle of our house. Cutting those limbs off took a lot of weight off and maybe if it does fall, it will just go down the fence line. The bad part is-it shaded the coop and run. So I have to get creative, not just building new nest boxes, but something to provide some shade too. :/
