[viewfield]

I wonder if anyone has had a problem  like this, we recently took over 3 hens and they had started to lay , we were up to 2 eggs per day
as they settled in, and just over the past week or so , as I have been checking for eggs, I have found the hens either in the middle of eating the egg,or evidence of where it had been before it had been eaten. They might leave abit of shell or eat that as well.
I have given them oyster shell , they get veggie peelings, maise and layers pellets.

Can anyone tell me how to stop them doing this? Any help would be great, and why are they doing it?
We have just recently introduced a cockeral, could it be because of him?

[fizzgigg]

there are a few things u can try first if u have the time shift the eggs asap. or drken the nest box with a piece of material over the front ( i think the idea is they dnt see the egg) but it works. if ur any good at diy make a roll away nest box so that the egg rolls out of sight. use pot eggs or golf balls not very effective but worth a try also i heard recently somewher that u can blow an egg and fill it again with mustard and chilli powder the idea being that they taste it, hate it n never try it again. i hope this is of some use to you good luck

[jacob and Georgina]

hi, could be due to several reasons. If eggs are properly formed when laid and are being eaten this can be because where they lay their eggs is in too much light, should be in a nesting box of no more that 400m2 and the darker the better. I also found that if they are tempted to sleep in their nest boxes then it is more likely to happen likewise if several chickens use the box at once. However if eggs are being laid without a hard shell then this could be because of lack of grit/shell but sounds like you have this covered. Hate to say it but when its started its hard to stop as they will get a taste for eggs. Make sure eggs are collected regularly and they are not given chance to eat egg.

My advice would be:    Ensure nest box is not too big because if 2 hens can get in it the eggs are more likely to be broken
                                Ensure they are not too light use Hessian or other material to make it darker
                                 Collect eggs regularly to decrease the chance of egg eating

hope this is usefull info
 

[jacob and Georgina]

sound like you also have some good ideas fizzgig. N.b Made a small error meant 400cm2 not m2 lol. I managed to make a rollaway nest box, on a slight slope so ehhs that are laid roll backward down a length of gutter and into a very shallow tray, very effective. To ensure they always laid in the same place i glued a dummy egg to the nest box so that to did not roll away.

[viewfield]

Thanks for all your great suggestions, the nest box might be too big, as usually two hens do sleep together, and it must be too light also.
I will try to darken it firstly and then think about maybe a roll away solution...as they definately seem to have a taste for the eggs.
this was my first posting and delighted I now have somewhere I can ask all these unusual questions
Thanks again .

[jacob and Georgina]

glad to be of assistance. Hens should also not be sleeping in nest boxes, are they higher than your perches? as hens will always sleep in highest possible place

[doganjo]

glad to be of assistance. Hens should also not be sleeping in nest boxes, are they higher than your perches? as hens will always sleep in highest possible place

  Mine don't!  I have perches but some of my ex batts sleep in the nest box, it's down really low

[piggy]

Me to,i have 3 rows of perchs but all the ex batts sleep on the floor.

[jacob and Georgina]

ah wel that explains that i never had ex batt before but something i would really like to do. is it straight forward? are they good layers? does anyone know where i can get hold of some i am in devon and would not mind travelling but delivery would be better. thanks