Finding 3 to 4 eggs cracked like this everyday. Are they being pecked? Maybe cracking when they get laid or roll to end of box. Nesting box is plywood with pine flake covering. If it is from pecking how do I prevent this and how can you figure out who the pecker is? Thanks
by donyface
10 Comments
Cannibalism.
might need more calcium in their diet.
They are pecking at the eggs, honestly surprised they aren’t eating them fully. It does usually indicate that they need more calcium and/or protein in their diets. I’ve started feeding their excess eggs back to them, shells and all, baked into a sort of casserole. I also got them a “happy block” which is basically a nutrient block for them to peck at. I have seen some people use wooden/ceramic eggs both for broody hens and to deter eating the eggs.
Find out which one is doing it and.. off with her head!
25 years chicken experience: once they are in the habit there’s nothing to be done except distract and deflect. Get out there to get them as soon as they’re laid (most chickens have a routine-ish schedule enough to know what time of the morning they’ll be laying). If you’re grabbing them before the chickens have a chance to get to them, after a few weeks you might be good again. It’s really not always (or ever) a calcium thing, they’re just hard-wired to peck at things
Start with fake eggs- I use golf balls (chickens aren’t super observant). You can fill eggs with paint or mustard to catch the egg eater, if you want. Collect your eggs multiple times a day. Provide oyster shells or some other calcium source, make sure they have enough activity to keep them busy, and check that the feel you use has enough calcium and nutrients. Add nesting material to the boxes. If you are still having an issue, roll away or false bottom nesting boxes can help, too.
Solution : BBqd chicken then get new ones ( nonegg eating type )
I think they’re bored, or don’t have enough room for activities, or short on calcium, or some mix of those. When I had 30-40 chickens at my old place we had a problem with egg pecking. I tried putting out a pan of calcium grit, did “paintball” eggs to catch the culprit and culled one hen, and tried collecting the eggs multiple times per morning but still had one or two broken eggs most days.
An old timer suggested I put dog toys in the pen for them to play with, hang a wind chime where they could reach it and make noise, and throw a few extra handfuls of crushed oyster shell on the ground daily for them to peck up, and it really helped with this and a few other behavior problems. The ones who were hanging out in the coop in the daytime and causing problems quit once they weren’t so bored and/or had enough calcium.
Chicken dinner.
Corporal punishment