Chicken question ?

[antharper]

I’m sure it has been asked before , how do you keep chickens from eating there eggs ? I’ve got 9 laying hens and have noticed busted eggs and a mess in the laying boxes lately . I’ve identified one of the culprits and she soon may become dumplings . I’m thinking she may be the only one and is the oldest hen I have . Probably doesn’t even lay but has been a good one for several years and I don’t really want to kill her . I’ve put fake stone eggs and feed them oyster shells . Thanks for some more ideas

 

[Pig Predator]

Do they get to free range at all? If not, How big is their coupe? Chickens are omnivores so there could be a protein deficiency also.

 

[Nicodemus]

Keep the cubbies full of fresh pine shavings. That helps some. Best thing to do is turn that egg eater into dumplins.

 

[Railroader]

My Uncle Clarence (Klarntz, not Clar-ence) in the Kentucky hills would regularly have Aint Oshie make dumplings out of the Old Boss Hen.

Said when one quits laying, she'll start breaking eggs and bullying the others....

Just a story I remember, but apparently it's TRUE... ?

DUMPLIN' TIME!!!

 

[Havana Dude]

Don’t know your feed regiment, but we have found, if we add crushed oyster shell, that they will begin to eat eggs. Withdrawn the oyster shell from their diet, it stops. We also feed a 16% layer pellet.

 

[oldways]

Trim the end of her beak almost like clipping a finger nail that will slow her down and I bought a couple of them fake eggs creamic I think they can’t bust them another trick is gather your eggs a couple times a day they don’t have a chance to break them once they start eating eggs they are hard to break from it good luck and I hope this helps you

 

[DAWG1419]

Trim the end of her beak almost like clipping a finger nail that will slow her down and I bought a couple of them fake eggs creamic I think they can’t bust them another trick is gather your eggs a couple times a day they don’t have a chance to break them once they start eating eggs they are hard to break from it good luck and I hope this helps you

Or golf balls

 

[kmckinnie]

How high are the nesting boxes ? We have found the higher boxes not easy to see into by the hens the less get eaten

 

[K80Shooter]

My Dad always killed the hen that was breaking eggs. Once they start it's almost imposable to get them to stop.

The good part is that we had some very good dumplings on Sunday.

 

[antharper]

Do they get to free range at all? If not, How big is their coupe? Chickens are omnivores so there could be a protein deficiency also.

They free range a pretty good bit , at least 3-4 days a week and I close pen at night. And the coupe is pretty big 10x20 with another 8x8 added to it with the nesting boxes and roosting poles in it .

 

[antharper]

Keep the cubbies full of fresh pine shavings. That helps some. Best thing to do is turn that egg eater into dumplins.

I’m gonna try this , also I have a small pen for chicks that I’m gonna put her in . If it stops I’ll just fatten her up ?

 

[antharper]

My Uncle Clarence (Klarntz, not Clar-ence) in the Kentucky hills would regularly have Aint Oshie make dumplings out of the Old Boss Hen.

Said when one quits laying, she'll start breaking eggs and bullying the others....

Just a story I remember, but apparently it's TRUE... ?

DUMPLIN' TIME!!!

Sounds just like what I’m dealing with

 

[antharper]

Don’t know your feed regiment, but we have found, if we add crushed oyster shell, that they will begin to eat eggs. Withdrawn the oyster shell from their diet, it stops. We also feed a 16% layer pellet.

I feed the layer pellets in a feeder unlimited supply , also a big cup of scratch feed a day . Only throw a cup or 2 of the oyster shells in about every month or so

 

[antharper]

Trim the end of her beak almost like clipping a finger nail that will slow her down and I bought a couple of them fake eggs creamic I think they can’t bust them another trick is gather your eggs a couple times a day they don’t have a chance to break them once they start eating eggs they are hard to break from it good luck and I hope this helps you

I thought about the beak trimming and have added some ceramic eggs . Also have been getting the eggs a couple times a day . But she’s still busting them , I actually caught her and have noticed she’s the only one with egg yolk all over her face

 

[antharper]

How high are the nesting boxes ? We have found the higher boxes not easy to see into by the hens the less get eaten

Not very high , also very easily accessible

 

[antharper]

My Dad always killed the hen that was breaking eggs. Once they start it's almost imposable to get them to stop.

The good part is that we had some very good dumplings on Sunday.

Yeah that’s my next move .

 

[Railroader]

Yeah that’s my next move .

What time's supper???

 

[kmckinnie]

I would also raise the boxes a little bit.

 

[oldways]

I thought about the beak trimming and have added some ceramic eggs . Also have been getting the eggs a couple times a day . But she’s still busting them , I actually caught her and have noticed she’s the only one with egg yolk all over her face

Eat her she may cause the others to start

 

[660griz]

Never had to kill one yet. We have pine shavings and give them oyster shells. If some start eating the eggs, we check the eggs more often and then they seem to stop.