# Chicken question ?



## antharper (Mar 12, 2022)

I’m sure it has been asked before , how do you keep chickens from eating there eggs ? I’ve got 9 laying hens and have noticed busted eggs and a mess in the laying boxes lately . I’ve identified one of the culprits and she soon may become dumplings . I’m thinking she may be the only one and is the oldest hen I have . Probably doesn’t even lay but has been a good one for several years and I don’t really want to kill her . I’ve put fake stone eggs and feed them oyster shells . Thanks for some more ideas


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## Pig Predator (Mar 12, 2022)

Do they get to free range at all? If not, How big is their coupe? Chickens are omnivores so there could be a protein deficiency also.


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## Nicodemus (Mar 12, 2022)

Keep the cubbies full of fresh pine shavings. That helps some. Best thing to do is turn that egg eater into dumplins.


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## Railroader (Mar 12, 2022)

My Uncle Clarence (Klarntz, not Clar-ence) in the Kentucky hills would regularly have Aint Oshie make dumplings out of the Old Boss Hen.

Said when one quits laying, she'll start breaking eggs and bullying the others....

Just a story I remember, but apparently it's TRUE... ?

DUMPLIN' TIME!!!


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## Havana Dude (Mar 12, 2022)

Don’t know your feed regiment, but we have found, if we add crushed oyster shell, that they will begin to eat eggs. Withdrawn the oyster shell from their diet, it stops. We also feed a 16% layer pellet.


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## oldways (Mar 13, 2022)

Trim the end of her beak almost like clipping a finger nail that will slow her down and I bought a couple of them fake eggs creamic I think they can’t bust them another trick is gather your eggs a couple times a day they don’t have a chance to break them once they start eating eggs they are hard to break from it good luck and I hope this helps you


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## DAWG1419 (Mar 13, 2022)

oldways said:


> Trim the end of her beak almost like clipping a finger nail that will slow her down and I bought a couple of them* fake eggs creamic* I think they can’t bust them another trick is gather your eggs a couple times a day they don’t have a chance to break them once they start eating eggs they are hard to break from it good luck and I hope this helps you


Or golf balls


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## kmckinnie (Mar 13, 2022)

How high are the nesting boxes ? We have found the higher boxes not easy to see  into by the hens the less get eaten


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## K80Shooter (Mar 13, 2022)

My Dad always killed the hen that was breaking eggs. Once they start it's almost imposable to get them to stop.

The good part is that we had some very good dumplings on Sunday.


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## antharper (Mar 13, 2022)

Pig Predator said:


> Do they get to free range at all? If not, How big is their coupe? Chickens are omnivores so there could be a protein deficiency also.


They free range a pretty good bit , at least 3-4 days a week and I close pen at night. And the coupe is pretty big 10x20 with another 8x8 added to it with the nesting boxes and roosting poles in it .


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## antharper (Mar 13, 2022)

Nicodemus said:


> Keep the cubbies full of fresh pine shavings. That helps some. Best thing to do is turn that egg eater into dumplins.


I’m gonna try this , also I have a small pen for chicks that I’m gonna put her in . If it stops I’ll just fatten her up ?


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## antharper (Mar 13, 2022)

Railroader said:


> My Uncle Clarence (Klarntz, not Clar-ence) in the Kentucky hills would regularly have Aint Oshie make dumplings out of the Old Boss Hen.
> 
> Said when one quits laying, she'll start breaking eggs and bullying the others....
> 
> ...


Sounds just like what I’m dealing with


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## antharper (Mar 13, 2022)

Havana Dude said:


> Don’t know your feed regiment, but we have found, if we add crushed oyster shell, that they will begin to eat eggs. Withdrawn the oyster shell from their diet, it stops. We also feed a 16% layer pellet.


I feed the layer pellets in a feeder unlimited supply , also a big cup of scratch feed a day . Only throw a cup or 2 of the oyster shells in about every month or so


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## antharper (Mar 13, 2022)

oldways said:


> Trim the end of her beak almost like clipping a finger nail that will slow her down and I bought a couple of them fake eggs creamic I think they can’t bust them another trick is gather your eggs a couple times a day they don’t have a chance to break them once they start eating eggs they are hard to break from it good luck and I hope this helps you


I thought about the beak trimming and have added some ceramic eggs . Also have been getting the eggs a couple times a day . But she’s still busting them , I actually caught her and have noticed she’s the only one with egg yolk all over her face


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## antharper (Mar 13, 2022)

kmckinnie said:


> How high are the nesting boxes ? We have found the higher boxes not easy to see  into by the hens the less get eaten


Not very high , also very easily accessible


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## antharper (Mar 13, 2022)

K80Shooter said:


> My Dad always killed the hen that was breaking eggs. Once they start it's almost imposable to get them to stop.
> 
> The good part is that we had some very good dumplings on Sunday.


Yeah that’s my next move .


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## Railroader (Mar 13, 2022)

antharper said:


> Yeah that’s my next move .



What time's supper???


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## kmckinnie (Mar 13, 2022)

I would also raise the boxes a little bit.


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## oldways (Mar 14, 2022)

antharper said:


> I thought about the beak trimming and have added some ceramic eggs . Also have been getting the eggs a couple times a day . But she’s still busting them , I actually caught her and have noticed she’s the only one with egg yolk all over her face


Eat her she may cause the others to start


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## 660griz (Mar 14, 2022)

Never had to kill one yet. We have pine shavings and give them oyster shells. If some start eating the eggs, we check the eggs more often and then they seem to stop.


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## antharper (Mar 14, 2022)

660griz said:


> Never had to kill one yet. We have pine shavings and give them oyster shells. If some start eating the eggs, we check the eggs more often and then they seem to stop.


I put pine shavings in boxes this morning


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## ucfireman (Mar 14, 2022)

antharper said:


> she soon may become dumplings


How do you make dumplings out of a chicken? I use biscuits but others make dough dumplings. (Just kidding)
I have no idea on the egg thing but if she aint laying then why keep her other than sentimental value.


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## antharper (Mar 31, 2022)

Nicodemus said:


> Keep the cubbies full of fresh pine shavings. That helps some. Best thing to do is turn that egg eater into dumplins.


Haven’t ate her yet , added the pine shavings and put ceramic eggs in each box and haven’t had near as many busted . Thanks . Only downside to the ceramic eggs is I’ll probably kill every oak snake around and I don’t want to do that


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## longbowdave1 (Mar 31, 2022)

I have been having trouble with an egg eater lately also. Going to try a few things to curb it. Have any of you tried the rollaway nest boxes where the eggs roll under a board to protect them from getting eaten.


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## antharper (Mar 31, 2022)

longbowdave1 said:


> I have been having trouble with an egg eater lately also. Going to try a few things to curb it. Have any of you tried the rollaway nest boxes where the eggs roll under a board to protect them from getting eaten.


No but I bet you can build a mighty nice one that works perfect .


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## longbowdave1 (Mar 31, 2022)

Going to tinker with it tomorrow.......


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## longbowdave1 (Mar 31, 2022)

Material list:
3 paint trays
Green astro turf
1 board
3 bricks
Spray adhesive
Rubber roofing


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## longbowdave1 (Apr 1, 2022)

Update for @anthrper  .  Ok Ant, I'm modifying a design by other chicken wranglers. The box is made with a paint tray for a 9 inch roller, lined with green turf. Turf is glued in with poly gorilla glue so that the hens can't kick it out of place. A 1x6 board is set on the well of the paint tray, weighted with a paver, glued down with poly gorilla glue again. I did add some carpet spacers to the underside of the boards to allow more egg rolling clearance. I stapled on strips of bicycle tubes to the front edge of board, to allow the eggs to roll back, and be concealed. I may replace the paver weight with scrap plate steel, if the bricks are in the hens way of nesting. The paint trays can be taken out and hosed off to wash them, as needed.

My hens are usually done laying by noon. I'll kick the hens out of the coop and swap out the boxes later this morning. Wish me luck. I played around last week, but had issues. The hens move the non weighted boards to get at the eggs. Hence, the weights and a rubber egg curtain. My hens dont like change after 2 years in the current set up. Just by luck, the paint tray fit in my exsisting nest box locations,  so I can always go back to the plain boxes if it's time to go back to the drawing board.....


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## longbowdave1 (Apr 1, 2022)

Roll away boxes are in. I'll give til monday and see how they work. Hopefully I get a 5 chicken rating???


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## longbowdave1 (Apr 2, 2022)

Well, hot dang! I just checked the coop, and I had two clean eggs under one of the boards. Also kicked two hens out of the nesting areas , maybe they were about to lay, or just trying to figure it out. I think we have a functioning rollaway box to combat the egg eater(s). I give more updates later. The eggs rolled all the way to the far end of the tray, protected by the board and the rubber egg curtain . April2nd an snowing hard right now.


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## antharper (Apr 2, 2022)

That is mighty nice Dave ! I may have to give something like that a try , I’m pretty sure I’d have to do some red neck engineering but can for sure use some of your tips . Thanks


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## longbowdave1 (Apr 2, 2022)

I got another good egg just now. The egg eater was pacing back and forth trying to figure out the where abouts of the eggs. Kinda like when you know you did your duty but the bowl is empty feeling. Lol


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## longbowdave1 (Apr 3, 2022)

Got more eggs today in the new boxes. A side benefit is that the eggs roll out of site and stay much cleaner as well. Tomorrow will be the good test, i wont get home intil 4pm to fetch eggs. The egg eating started when they had to sit all day.


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## oldways (Apr 4, 2022)

That's a great idea got me thinking, good job!


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