Egg eating

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chestnutmare

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I noticed eggs were getting eaten but wasn't sure who was doing the eating. I have three hybrids in a WIR. I soon realised it was my white star and it seems my columbine has followed the white star's example, although my columbine ocassionally allows me to collect her eggs, my white star is determined. She will follow the others up to the coop and wait for their egg to be laid. I'm not sure if I will be able to break the habit now, she seems very determined. Here's what I've tried so far, which seem to work for a day or so before egg eating continues.

Dummy eggs
Filling eggs with chilli
Filling with extra hot mustard (oo what a treat they enjoyed that)
Removing the coop and replacing with roll away nest box (my white star managed to break her eggs before they rolled away)
Removing my white star into her own cage with dummy egg (this worked for a few days but then ate her eggs again)
Beak bits - which I don't like. But having lifting and carrying equipment, and paying out for roll away nest boxes etc. it was something I was willing to try. I put a beak bit on my white star and columbine and put the white star back in the WIR so the three hybrids are together again. This morning, I see the remains of my white star's egg on the floor of the run. I didn't have much hope in the beak bits but why not give them a go? I'd ran out of ideas.

Now what do I do? It's one thing eating her own eggs but she's eating the others' eggs too. She's a lovely (egg eating) hen. I'm thinking maybe she could go and live completely free range at my parents' smallholding but fox(es) took some of my mother's chickens there years ago. :-)19

Edit: It seems that was my columbine's egg on the run floor. My white star has just laid and eaten her egg in the nest box with columbine watching.
 
Given what you have already tried I think your looking at getting rid really, the rollaway nest boxes are what seems to do the trick for most people, are you finding them broken after they have rolled away or are you finding them broken not having rolled away?, the only reason I ask is if the shells are on the thin side it is just possible that they are breaking when they hit the nestbox wall having rolled down, I presume they have worked fine with your columbine. If your parents have laying hens at their place then I'm afraid your white star will just start egg eating there and pass the habits on to their hens too.
 
Make sure your birds are getting enough protein/vitamins and calcium in their ration - the old way of curing egg eating was to allow them unlimited fresh egg shell from the bakers which I presume would have had plenty of white still in there so they would get their protein/vitamin/calcium fix from those. Milk was another cure, and before Defra stepped in I have cured this habit by allowing them unlimited milk.

The main problems arise when they are just coming into lay and the moulting period - the shells are weaker and the protein demand higher.

I have heard that blinkers can work, you can usually get them at Game Supplies places. Pepper and chilli rarely work as most birds are designed to eat hot stuff, but they don't like washing up liquid. I have used organic type liquid like Ecover with good results. It doesnt contain nasties but tastes pretty foul. Worth a try anyway. If it doesnt work after the first one or two then I have found that egg eaters are pretty meaty birds, and normally easy to feather..... :o
 
I don't want to get rid of these chickens as they are my pets but I just don't know what else to do. I want to get more chickens, I need more eggs and it seems daft for me to keep egg eaters where they are when I can't stop it, and other chickens will only copy. No, my parents' haven't got chickens anymore so I wouldn't be passing an egg eating chicken on to their flock. But I don't think I can put the chickens there because of fox worries - I'm sure if they have to go there's a better method.

I don't think she has a weak shell, at least not that I've noticed anyway. I inspect the rare whole egg and any remains. The chickens have plenty of access to mixed grit and quality feed. However, I will give more grit and out a pot of grit in their run too. I've been scattering grit on the floor for the last year. I'll also try milk. Thank you. Then if that doesn't work I will fill eggs with Ecover.

Please work, please work!
 
If they are your pets Chestnut then that makes it different, keep on trying and at the end of the day if it doesnt work and your hens are bringing you pleasure then eggs aren't the be all and end all. Good luck.
 
They must think they're getting rewarded for this egg eating! They're enjoying the milk. I've also put a pot of grit in there. Fingers crossed because I don't want to buy shop eggs when I have chickens laying. :-)06 Madness.
 
Maybe the mixed grit isn't providing enough calcium Chestnut. You could try increasing the amount of oyster shell - I bought a bag of just oystershell from my wildbird food supplier when I ordered my last batch of mealworms.

I have read somwhere about feeding them baked and crushed eggshell - but I'd have thought that would just reinforce the idea of eating eggs.
 
Yes, that's my way of thinking too. I don't want to feed crushed egg shell just incase they may the connection. I will buy plain oyster shell tomorrow, I need to go to the pet shop anyway. Thanks. :)
 
Mine always have oystershell grit on offer in a small pot, but in order to absorb calcium they also need vitamins. A little cod liver oil on the food can help, but presumably there is lots of vitamins in fresh milk (that is if they haven't all been boiled away in the bottling factory)

There isn't much calcium in egg shells apparently, or at least they need to eat lots more of them than you would imagine to make a difference. They will need access to water as well as the milk, and it may be worth trying the Ecover egg trick at the same time.

When my youngsters are coming into lay I put a rubber egg in the nest box. It encourages them to lay in there and hopefully discourages egg pecking after their beak bounces off a few times :) You know how inquisitive young pullets are, and the only means they have of exploring their world it via their beak. :)
 
We can't absorb calcium without fat either which is why semi/skimmed milk is no good.

Have a look at this too http://castlefarmeggs.co.uk/?page_id=108. I'm going to get some of the charcoal Tim has written about on the Poultrykeeper website, although at the moment the eggshells are good and strong. Things may change as the days get shorter and they can't free range for as long.
 
I have kept the dummy eggs in the nesting box during the egg eating. They have milk, mixed grit. I checked for eggs this morning but nothing. We went to the pet shop and bought plain oyster shell. When we got home we checked for eggs and couldn't believe it when there was the white star's egg (the main egg eater) and my bluebell's egg... whole! :D :-)08

Coincidence? Just plain lucky today? I don't know. But the grit is being pecked at and the milk is going down very well! We shall see what the egg situation is tomorrow.
 
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