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Barnyard Buddies:  They are all eating the eggs!  |
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 27 2014 : 08:14:42 AM
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Ok, getting rid of the rooster for starting it, but now the four hens are eating eggs. I can't go out every 10 minutes to check for eggs so now what do I do?
You must do the thing you think you cannot do
-Eleanor Roosevelt
She with the most chickens wins 
Annika
Farmgirl & Sister #13
http://thegimpyfarmgirl.blogspot.com/
http://pinterest.com/annikaloveshats/
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2014 : 09:29:09 AM
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Oh my... I have no idea, Annika! But I sure do feel for you! I'm sure the girls will have the right answer for you. Hopefully soon! Hugs - Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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churunga
True Blue Farmgirl
3932 Posts
Marie
Minneapolis
MN
USA
3932 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2014 : 09:39:59 AM
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I am not a chicken rancher so I don't know if this advice is any good.
I would stew, bake, fry and roast those hens then purchase some young chickens with a good pedigree. I know this is probably very expensive but it sounds as if you have some bad genetics here.
Have you tried to up the protein in their feed?
Marie, Sister #5142
Try everything once and the fun things twice. |
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Dapple Grey Lady
True Blue Farmgirl
725 Posts
Betty
Goodrich
Texas
USA
725 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2014 : 11:59:18 AM
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Are they lacking in their diet?
~ Betty ~
Farmgirl Sister # 5589 |
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gramadinah
True Blue Farmgirl
3557 Posts
Diana
Orofino
ID
USA
3557 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2014 : 1:29:25 PM
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Put a bedding in the nest box that is soft so that the egg will not break. I was thinking fiberfill but will get back to you on that then up there calcium (oyster shell) also put some golf balls in the nest they will peck them and see they won't break and sometimes give up. Just a though how about fabric strips or newspaper strips. Some thing that might hide the egg.
Good Luck
Diana
Farmgirl Sister #273 |
Edited by - gramadinah on Jan 28 2014 2:49:34 PM |
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batznthebelfry
True Blue Farmgirl
1257 Posts
Michele
Athol
Ma
USA
1257 Posts |
Posted - Jan 28 2014 : 11:39:56 AM
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how do you know all of them are eating the eggs? did you walk in & see all of them going after a egg? if one hen breaks an egg then the others if they see it will also eat that egg but may not be the ones actually braking & eating them otherwise....now to help if I can...first up the protein & calcium...you can give them cheap tuna 2-3 times week,or non GMO soy beans that are either cooked or roasted, never raw,or add non salted beef broth to their dry feed in the morning....for calcium you can add oyster shell in with the feed so you know they are getting some, non fruit yogurt, cottage cheese or even scrabbled eggs. Some times they eat eggs out of boredom as well or if one accidently gets broken they may do it for a while.....if bored you can hang up a head of lettuce/cabbage to give them something to do if they are stuck in the coop from the cold weather.....another thing you can do is take one of the harder shelled eggs & put a small hole in both ends, blow out egg then use a small needleless syringe & put yellow mustard in the egg & put it back out into the nest where they are getting the other eggs.....you may have to do this for a few days but they normally do not like it & it seems to break them of eating eggs...but if one gets broken again by accident you will have to do this again....but egg eating usually has a reason of why its happening so try the protein & calcium ideas as well as the mustard at the same time....let us know how it goes please Michele'
Chickens RULE!
hen #2622
www.theoldbatzfarm.blogspot.com/ |
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churunga
True Blue Farmgirl
3932 Posts
Marie
Minneapolis
MN
USA
3932 Posts |
Posted - Jan 28 2014 : 10:05:54 PM
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I saw a movie about egg laying farms when I was a kid. The eggs would roll out of the nesting box and onto a conveyer belt. Maybe you could rig the boxes so the eggs can roll out and land in a safe place to be collected. Just a thought.
Marie, Sister #5142
Try everything once and the fun things twice. |
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Wendy Flower
Farmgirl in Training
39 Posts
Wendy
Gladstone
ND
USA
39 Posts |
Posted - Feb 02 2014 : 10:26:29 AM
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I heard that if you are feeding your chickens crushed egg shells you should cook/bake them first otherwise they consider the eggs food and begin to eat their own eggs. What to do after they have already begun eating eggs, I don't know. I hope you don't have to start over, but if you do just keep the raw egg shells from the new gals.
Wind Farmer & Seamstress. |
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Cozynana
True Blue Farmgirl
1123 Posts
Kem
1123 Posts |
Posted - Feb 03 2014 : 02:55:26 AM
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| Kind of gross, but my dad said when chicken started having behavior like this my grandmother would have her husband shoot a rabbit and hang it in with the chickens. They would eat the flesh. Seems there was something in the meat that corrected an imbalance in the diet. Pretty crude, but just might work. |
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levisgrammy
True Blue Farmgirl
9329 Posts
Denise
Beavercreek
Ohio
USA
9329 Posts |
Posted - Feb 03 2014 : 03:20:27 AM
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I would go with adding the calcium and protein. We have had this same problem. Haven't had anymore trouble so I'll ask hubby how he took care of it. We did add oyster shells and threw some grit in a pan in there for them.
Denise
Farmgirl Sister #43
"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path."
Psalm 119:105
http://www.ladybugsandlilacs.blogspot.com/
http://www.torisgram.etsy.com |
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shelbyc
True Blue Farmgirl
72 Posts
shannon
murdale
british columbia
Canada
72 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2014 : 11:23:15 AM
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Hi Annika,
I had kind of the same problem- 4 hens, and someone eating eggs faster than I could get out to collect them several times a day. I asked here for help too, and ended up using 35% crumbles to mix in with their feed, extra oyster shell, and I bought cheap tuna at the Dollar Store to give them once a week. They quit eating eggs almost immediately. I never had to get rid of a chicken, and I get 2-4 eggs a day now. Good luck. |
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BlackRabbit
True Blue Farmgirl
91 Posts
Tina
Dallas
PA
USA
91 Posts |
Posted - Feb 08 2014 : 8:59:12 PM
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I use Easter Eggs in their nest boxes. And Checked frequently for a week. Soon after they gave up.Nothing like hiding in plain sight.
live life with no regrets
www.etsy.com/shop/CongenialBlackRabbit
Farmgirl#4511 |
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HodgeLodge
True Blue Farmgirl
662 Posts
Tiana
Berkeley Springs
WV
USA
662 Posts |
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HodgeLodge
True Blue Farmgirl
662 Posts
Tiana
Berkeley Springs
WV
USA
662 Posts |
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
Posted - Feb 09 2014 : 08:45:38 AM
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Thanks! I added more of everything. I'm back to getting at least three eggs most day. If I don't pick them up after a while they disappear tho'. I caught the roo one and I either have to kill him or build another pen. He's a good looking pure bred black maran and I'd like chicks, so I'm reluctant to just take the axe to him.
You must do the thing you think you cannot do
-Eleanor Roosevelt
She with the most chickens wins
Annika
Farmgirl & Sister #13
http://thegimpyfarmgirl.blogspot.com/
http://pinterest.com/annikaloveshats/
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BlackRabbit
True Blue Farmgirl
91 Posts
Tina
Dallas
PA
USA
91 Posts |
Posted - Feb 09 2014 : 5:46:08 PM
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Well I The Black Marans are one of the more expensive chickens Id hold onto him if I were you.
live life with no regrets
www.etsy.com/shop/CongenialBlackRabbit
Farmgirl#4511 |
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teckelhut
Farmgirl in Training
32 Posts
Sussie
Deschutes Junction
Oregon
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - Feb 26 2014 : 5:01:18 PM
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Three tricks that help.
Get fake eggs and put them in the nests. Eventually the chickens will back off as they can't break the egg open to get at whats inside.
Get a syringe and fill up some eggs with mustard. DO not use hot sauce. Chickens cannot fell the heat of hot peppers but they HATE mustard. Leave those out in the nest box.
If it is only one hen that is doing it. It is better to cull that hen before she teaches the rest to do it.
Sussie of Teckelhut Acres
Heritage Chickens
Meat and Show Rabbits
Certified Naturally Raised
Certified Humane
Deschutes Junction, OR
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teckelhut
Farmgirl in Training
32 Posts
Sussie
Deschutes Junction
Oregon
USA
32 Posts |
Posted - Feb 26 2014 : 5:04:32 PM
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Forgot to add.
Poor quality feed and/or no oyster shell being offered is another reason for egg eating. Allot of people think that giving the chicken egg shells is a good substitute for oyster shell, but that is not the case.
Sussie of Teckelhut Acres
Heritage Chickens
Meat and Show Rabbits
Certified Naturally Raised
Certified Humane
Deschutes Junction, OR
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Barnyard Buddies: They are all eating the eggs! |
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They are all eating the eggs!
