[bloomer]

How would i work out who the culprit is?


I clearly have an egg eater, I have my suspicions about who and frankly i don't want to keep a freeloader!!!


If I can positively identify the culprit they will be gone i'm afraid!!!


I only have 4 in the flock so it can't be that hard to work out!!!

[shygirl]

they teach each other so be quick in finding the culprit. are they eating the whole lot? or just pecking a hole?
mine use to devour the whole lot at high speed, you have to sit and watch them.

[bloomer]

i am getting like one a day smashed and it makes such a mess in the nest box!!!

[suziequeue]

Can you isolate one for a little while and see if the egg laid in the isolation pen gets eaten? Then you have your culprit.


We possibly have an egg eater. I think it's our cockerel so I am loathe to get rid of him 


We are just going in promptly to collect the eggs - especially if we see him going in there after laying time

[bloomer]

not easily, the more i think about it my bargain rehome of these chooks looks more and more like someone dumping there problems...

[in the hills]

Have you tried making the nest boxes darker and keeping some lemons or similar in the boxes? Combined with collecting all eggs ASAP.


Are you sure they are being eaten? If they are smashed it could be that the shells have become thinner and they are breaking accidentally.

[chrismahon]

Hens will turn round after laying and tap the egg to make sure it is sound. They may put their beak through it but won't eat it necessarily. Another hen may then go in and eat the broken egg. They have yolk on their beaks so can be spotted. Often they will follow a laying hen into the coop and wait until they come out before eating the egg. The only sure way is to spend time watching. Could try putting an unpeeled hard boiled egg in the run to see who goes for it.