Miss Cornelia Snook Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 Are we in trouble? The minute one is left in the nest box, they are all over it. We could get the eggs if we posted a guard during all the daylight hours, but that's not happening. Are we out of luck with this dumb bunch of hens? Is there something dietary they are missing? I'm not going to pay to feed them if they're not giving something back! (Good thing I'm not so heartless with my children!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Girls' Mom Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 I've read that putting a ceramic egg or golf ball in the nest can help. (I guess a peck or three at a hard "egg" is enough to make them stop) If they've really gotten a taste for them though, it may be tough to stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 put in a wooden egg or a golf ball. Sometimes it cannot be cured and it is off to the stewpot. Sometimes it is just one or 2 hens, so isolate them one or two at a time if you can to find the culprit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankcassiesmom Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 There are a few things to do. A, if they aren't free-ranged, get a cheap bag of oyster shell and make sure they have access to that in with their feed. One bag will last a LONG time. B. Make sure they always ALWAYS have water. C. Make the nesting boxes darker. Change the opening so it's pretty dark in there. I have broken egg eaters just with this. D. Throw some golf balls in and check for real eggs every single chance you get. Bring the "pecking at rock hard non edible things to pecking and getting yummy egg" ratio down as low as you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juniper Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 We just put similar shaped and colored rocks in the all the nesting boxes. Works ike a charm. Even if I know one is accidentaly broken I will go through and add rocks as a precaution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bnrmom Posted May 5, 2012 Share Posted May 5, 2012 Definitely make sure they are getting enough calcium/oyster shell and water. We have had this happen periodically. If the timing works, we squirt some yellow mustard into the broken egg and leave it there for a few hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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