if you know who is eating them, first thing you should do is seperate them....
We had one egg eaten about 2 weeks ago, we fed them some extra protein that night ( raw meat, they loved it)
and placed golf balls in the nesting boxes...
SOMETIMES... they will peck the balls and realized those "lumps" in the boxes arent very interesting so they quit trying..
I have also heard the following advice:
(takenfrom a blog Tilly's Nest)
1. Feed your flock a layer feed containing at least 16% protein
2. Limit the treats and kitchen scraps that you feed your flock.
3. Share high protein treats with your flock including dried meal worms, sunflower seeds and plain yogurt (no artificial ingredients or sweeteners)
4. Keep nesting boxes up off the ground. This helps keep the eggs out of sight and out of mind.
5. Harvest your eggs at least 2-3 times per day.
6. Provide your flock with free access to oyster shells or recycled eggshells to help form thicker eggshells.
7. Be sure the eggs have a soft place to land in the nesting box.
8. Be sure to provide plenty of fresh water, some chicken start eating eggs when water is scarce.
9. Be sure the chickens have plenty of space and if you are able to safely, allow free-ranging.
10. Never feed your chickens eggs that still look like eggs or shells. Do not be tempted to toss a cracked eggs into the run for the chickens to devour. You can feed your chickens scrambled eggs or crush the eggshells into small unrecognizable pieces.
11. Keep nesting boxes dark.
12. Be sure you have at least one nesting box per 4 laying hens.
If the egg eating behavior has already begun, it is important that most of the above suggestions have been implemented. In addition, you can try these added measures to try and treat the problem:
1. If you know which chicken is guilty, then remove them from the flock immediately. Others will learn the behavior from them. If they continue to eat eggs, try rehoming them, sometimes a change of scenery can stop a bad habit.
2. According to the University of Florida, filling a dish with milk and allowing chickens to drink it decreased the egg eating behavior.
3. The University of Florida also suggests beating an egg into a creamy consistency, stir in 2 teaspoons of black pepper and pour it on the coop floor. The taste will stop hens from eating their eggs.
4. Create slanted nesting boxes that allow freshly laid eggs to roll down into a secret collection area that the chickens cannot access.
5. Try adding golf balls to the nesting boxes.
6. Clean up every bit of the broken egg. Leave no traces behind. Change out any bedding that has egg on it.
7. Try filling an empty egg shell with mustard. The chickens will not enjoy the taste. Interestingly, hot sauce does not work on birds, they can't taste it.
8. Try pinless peepers.
9. Try adding distractions, such as a hanging ball of cabbage.
10. Be sure you actually have a hen eating your eggs, it is not uncommon in certain areas for snakes to enter chicken coops and swallow whole eggs.
--- In CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com, "Jennifer" <jennybirchall@...> wrote:
>
> Hi everyone,
> I just have four hens in my back garden. They're warrens and lay very well but for the last few months I keep getting the occasional egg which has a flat side that is very thin. Some of these have broken before I've collected them in the morning and I think a hen has got the taste for eggs.
> I now frequently find two whole eggs sitting in a pool of broken egg in the coop. How can I break this behaviour, or can't I?
> In case it might be a nutrient thing, they are fed on layers pellets, have access to oyster shell grit and mixed corn, and I mix a tonic in with their water. They also have access to greens occasionally, particularly when I'm weeding the garden! They moulted during the last couple of months (mid-winter here in the UK) and they got a few mealworms to help them keep their protein levels up when regrowing their feathers.
> Any advice on something I'm doing wrong or not doing etc would be greatly appreciated.
> Thanks, Jenny
>
CHICKENS-101@yahoogroups.com
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