# Tips to stop hens eating their eggs



## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

As it says really.I have had limited success with putting mustard in in empty shells,any other thoughts?


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## Stary eyed (Feb 7, 2011)

Give them more grit and shell.
Is it just one hen eating the eggs?


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## Dee_Williams (Aug 15, 2010)

The harsh side of me says cull the egg eater out. 

Other options include leaving eggs in til they get sick of eating them. Once the "ooooo exciting" aspect wears off they get bored. 

Using pot/rubber eggs, never had much success with that.

Invest in some roll away nest boxes.

Make sure they have plenty to distract them too.


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

I only have three hens.One started it and nows its an obsession aas soon as the otherr two lay ,at least two are doing it.

they do have grit and once a week they have rice and crushed cuttlefish so I am pretty sure that they are not doing it for calcium.i let them out into the garden most days to have a rummage around.

Thanks for the replies.


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

what are you feeding them? maybe they need more protein in their diet?

i`d tend to agree with splitting them up and culling out the culprit.


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

I feed them layers pellets as a rule,plus whatever they find in the garden and Morio worms as a treat.


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

mine nick the cats biccies! and go mental for mealworms


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## Cheyenne (Aug 29, 2011)

I have to agree with the others. Best to cull (or pts at the vet if you can't do it yourself), as there's nothing worse than an egg eater in the flock.I had my first ever hybrid for almost 4 years when she started egg eating, and despite everything we tried nothing worked :sad:


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## Xanthe (May 31, 2012)

If you still haven't solved this problem, try offering grit & finely ground up eggshell along with their regular diet. (As in, take the shells & grind them up wit ha pestle & mortar)
Sounds like protein or calcium demands aren't being met for this particular hen, although it could be a plethora of things. Some animals are just plain odd!

A suggestion other than culling, if you must get rid of her, would be to perhaps donate her to a local farm if you have one. A friend of mine who keeps chickens always takes their surplus cockerels to a local farmer!*

~Xanthe*


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

Thanks for all the advice.Over the last week I have tried rubber eggs.I have seen them run ten yards in the garden to go and peck them.

A chicken farmer suggested milk,which they certainly like and does seem a good way of getting more calcium quickly into their bodies.I have put more grit with their pellets and i am giving them more protein but they are still eating their eggs.

I will give it another week before deciding what to do .


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

i`d split them off one by one to find the ringleader, then i`d cull.

not very nice giving an egg eater away to another flock to be someone elses problem?


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

Milk is terribly bad for poultry. I agree with the others I'm afraid. You could find out who's doing it and maybe try the mustard trick. For me, if they were laying birds then the culprit would be casserole by now.


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## Red123 (Mar 3, 2010)

Culling just because it has a liking for eggs, I could never do that. We have 12 ex barn/battery hens and one of them use to be an egg eater, the boss of the flock as well. We would just collect the eggs several times a day and eventually she lost interest in eating eggs. We do offer fresh vegetables every day as well their layers mash (found marriages to be the best) and corn. They get a bowl of cooked rice or pasts once a week as well. Variety of food is the key I think. Oh and a nice heap of straw to dig in or nice area for them to dig their own dust bath.


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

Red123 said:


> Culling just because it has a liking for eggs, I could never do that. We have 12 ex barn/battery hens and one of them use to be an egg eater, the boss of the flock as well. We would just collect the eggs several times a day and eventually she lost interest in eating eggs. We do offer fresh vegetables every day as well their layers mash (found marriages to be the best) and corn. They get a bowl of cooked rice or pasts once a week as well. Variety of food is the key I think. Oh and a nice heap of straw to dig in or nice area for them to dig their own dust bath.


Some develop such a love for eggs that they will eat their own or follow other hens into the nest box. When I had one I was checking hourly on my days off and still missed most eggs. She was one of my layers and unfortunately layers are there to be productive. Plus it seems to be a contagious habit.


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

I didn`t realise about the milk,I was told to do this by a chicken farmer.

I tend to agree that its a habit and all three are doing it now.Unfortunately I am not able to check them constantly throughout the day with work.I think that deeper straw may help and as will some sort of separating device.

But I tend to agree with most on here that if they dont produce edible eggs they are pretty useless.I keep them for eggs not pets and whilst it sounds harsh I think that the culling may be the only option.


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

think you got the choice of a rollaway nest box or a cassserole


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

colinm said:


> I didn`t realise about the milk,I was told to do this by a chicken farmer.
> 
> I tend to agree that its a habit and all three are doing it now.Unfortunately I am not able to check them constantly throughout the day with work.I think that deeper straw may help and as will some sort of separating device.
> 
> But I tend to agree with most on here that if they dont produce edible eggs they are pretty useless.I keep them for eggs not pets and whilst it sounds harsh I think that the culling may be the only option.


I'm really pleased you're looking at this sensibly! I have no issue with people keeping egg eaters for themselves if they're pets or they can't face culling, but for productive birds you have to make sure they are productive.


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

Thanks for the advice everyone.Yesterday I had three eggs and today so far I have had two.
So something is working,I dont know quite what but at the moment with fingers crossed and touching wood, it looks good.


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