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Barnyard Buddies:  Egg Eaters  |
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shelbyc
True Blue Farmgirl
72 Posts
shannon
murdale
british columbia
Canada
72 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 19 2014 : 8:01:41 PM
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I'm wondering if anyone knows if there is a way to stop my chickens from eating their eggs. I only have four hens, and it might just be one that's doing it, but that's one too many. Thanks for any ideas,
Shannon |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Jan 20 2014 : 09:27:08 AM
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once they start, it is impossible to stop, but the easy way to find out who it is, is take an egg, blow the yolk and white out by poking small holes on each end, take a skewer and break up the yolk, then blow till contents are all out, take some food coloring and put it back in egg, glue some small peices of paper over the holes and put back in nestbox, who ever has foodcoloring on beak and face is the culprit, then stew her or what ever, if you have more than one doing it, you will have to repete process, hopfully its just one, good luck...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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batznthebelfry
True Blue Farmgirl
1257 Posts
Michele
Athol
Ma
USA
1257 Posts |
Posted - Jan 20 2014 : 10:48:33 PM
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Hi Shannon, its funny I have had hens who ate eggs but never had one that kept doing it...I found if I up the protein....thur tuna in water or mealworms as a treat they quit doing it unless an egg got broken in the nesting box....but I have yet ever had one who once got extra protein keep doing it so you may want to try something like that...they also will do this if the eggs sit too long in the boxes or get bored if stuck in the coop for days like when its super cold outside....I try to make sure to collect the eggs each day near the same time each day.....give them extra bits of treats to entertain them & keep them active..some people have hens & roos that will not quite eating eggs so I have heard of putting yellow mustard inside a empty egg & putting it in the nesting box after you remove the other eggs...suppose to now lik mustard so they won't at it so you may want to try that if all else fails...Michele'
Chickens RULE!
hen #2622
www.theoldbatzfarm.blogspot.com/ |
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shelbyc
True Blue Farmgirl
72 Posts
shannon
murdale
british columbia
Canada
72 Posts |
Posted - Jan 21 2014 : 1:18:37 PM
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Thanks Tina and Michele for your information. I'll try the food coloring to know who it is for sure, then I'll try to get them some more protein. The mustard in the egg might be a good deterrent. Hopefully I don't have to butcher them, I haven't had much luck with this batch of chickens.
Shannon |
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shelbyc
True Blue Farmgirl
72 Posts
shannon
murdale
british columbia
Canada
72 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2014 : 11:17:18 AM
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| I just wanted to let Michele and Tina know that I tried a few things. First I blew out a store bought egg and filled with food coloring. I didn't have their own eggs because they were being eaten too fast. They didn't touch that egg. Then I bought some 35% protein crumble to mix in with their oats. Also gave them extra oyster shell. Then I bought some cheap tuna at the dollar store, I just give them that once a week. I can't believe my luck, but my 4 little hens are giving me 2-4 eggs a day. They quit eating about 2 days after I did all this! Thanks for your help ladies. |
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Barnyard Buddies: Egg Eaters |
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Egg Eaters
