egg eating ex batts...impossible to stop!!

olpoll · Post by **olpoll** » 30 Sep 2008, 11:13

well 4 weeks after they started there still at it!
three of my ex batts are still eating there own eggs.
as soon as they lay they turn round and eat the egg Ive tryed every thing to stop it.....eggs filled with chilly powder soap mustard all sorts of horrible taisting stuff,
Ive got oyster shell shell and grit a product called shell max nothing works and its getting me down!
Ive eleven hens and if I'm lucky getting one egg a day i can only wait and see what happens when the four pullets start laying if the ex batts start robbing there eggs or learn them to eat them then i'm going to have to think about weather i want the hassle of ex batts.
i give them a good home and this is how they repay me
any advice would be welcome but to be honest i think once this problem starts there's no cure!

stace · Post by **stace** » 30 Sep 2008, 11:22

Hi Olpoll

Sorry its still all going on!

Can you identify the 3 girls that is eating the eggs? ???? confused>

You could try taking the ones that are doing it away from the others? Put them in a seperate coop?
As and when your young ones start to lay, they will eat theirs also!

This is a hard one for you, as like you said once they start its hard to stop them doing it!

You have given them a great place to live, but these girls are a little crazy when you get them, because of what they have been through in the past!

I hope you find an answer )t'

Chin up M8

stace (f+

olpoll · Post by **olpoll** » 30 Sep 2008, 11:39

Thanks stace,
i know which hens are doing it and if i stand and wait i can get them to lay the egg in my hand the only problem with that is they go in the coop and sit for about one hour before they lay.
if i turn my back on them for one second they lay smash and eat it!
each hen only eats its own egg.
im shure that if they were laying thick shelled eggs the problem would stop as iv put other eggs in with them and they peck them but cant break them
the problem is without overdosing them with calcium additives i cant get them to lay thick shells
i put the recommended dose of shell max in the water but i don't
know if id'e harm the hens if i upped the dose.

Julia · Post by **Julia** » 30 Sep 2008, 11:47

Sorry that you are having problems. Have you thought of a roll away nest box?

You can buy them and although you can't have straw in them if your hens always lay in the same place they will use them if you slot them inside the existing nest box.

Or you could make your own. You need to have the base of the nest box at a slope so that the eggs roll away and then a sort of cover at the bottom of the slope so that they can't see the eggs once they do roll away.

It might be worth a try.

Good luck

olpoll · Post by **olpoll** » 30 Sep 2008, 11:55

Julia wrote:Sorry that you are having problems. Have you thought of a roll away nest box?

You can buy them and although you can't have straw in them if your hens always lay in the same place they will use them if you slot them inside the existing nest box.

Or you could make your own. You need to have the base of the nest box at a slope so that the eggs roll away and then a sort of cover at the bottom of the slope so that they can't see the eggs once they do roll away.

It might be worth a try.

Good luck

now you've got me thinking Julia,
this could be worth a try! thanks.

mudshark · Post by **mudshark** » 30 Sep 2008, 13:06

Keeping the coop - or at least the nesting area - dark can help.

Apart from the fact it is a pain I do find it sort of amusing that a hen might think that she's just laid lunch!

olpoll · Post by **olpoll** » 30 Sep 2008, 13:58

im having a go at julias idea,
its the only thing i haven't tried.
Ive removed all the shavings from the nest boxes and dropped the front end so they now slope down at the bottom end of the box Ive put a piece of wood so the egg should roll under Ive tryed it by hand and it seems to work.
the new black hen is in the coop at the moment and i think she is going to lay her first egg for me..........fingers crossed she might lay on the coop floor as she hasn't layed in the coop yet and is looking a bit confused.... we'll see!

Post by **p.penn** » 30 Sep 2008, 14:15

Sorry to hear you are having this problem olpol. The roll away thing sounds good. after all, that is what they would be used to. Lets hope it works as I can understand your frustration.

Good luck!

Post by **Richard** » 30 Sep 2008, 14:24

Roll aways a great idea, the only problem being is that they may not lay in them ! I had this problem.

It is a phase which passes, sometimes quickly sometimes not.

At the end of the day, a few days of repeatably going out to fetch an egg as soon as one's laid is about the only answer.

olpoll · Post by **olpoll** » 30 Sep 2008, 14:36

its impossible to get the egg before the hen Richard,
as soon as it pops out she eats it that gives me about 1 second to get it i would have to sit in the pen 10 hours a day.
I'm getting desperate now the roll away method has to work its now the only idea left!
it just don't make sense to spend Â£20 a month on food
all i would like back is a few eggs and ill be happy i love to eat eggs but refuse point blank to have to buy them when i have 11 hens
fair enough if they were going through a period when they weren't laying.

cluck · Post by **cluck** » 30 Sep 2008, 14:49

Sorry to hear of your hens eating the eggs. I haven't had this problem yet & can imagine it's annoying for you.
My Mum who used to keep chickens & still does told me a rather bizarre way to stop this.
The roll away method is definately the best as mentioned already.
My Bizarre Mums Method is to Spray a small amount of Bitter Apple onto the bedding in the nest/laying box at approx laying time.

When the chicken goes to eat the egg/shell it will taste/smell absolutely awful.
Bitter Apple spray can be brought in pet shops. I used it to stop my Labrador Puppy chewing furniture.
Also even if you cannot get the egg from her but can see her laying it. That is a good time to quickly spray it into the broken egg.The Spray is easier if you cant get you hand there quick enough.
Lemon juice also sometimes works in a clean washing up bottle.

The chicken will associate egg eating as horrible.Bit like my puppy with chewing.

kate egg · Post by **kate egg** » 30 Sep 2008, 14:58

Come on - tell us )t'

Meanqueen · Post by **Meanqueen** » 30 Sep 2008, 15:03

Scratching my head.......uuummmm........ let me think..........no that wouldn't work............uuummmmm............what about...............got it...........of course.............why didn't I think of that before...............Fit them all with a pair of knickers, then when the egg pops out it hangs in there, and they can't reach it

)c(

Ilona

olpoll · Post by **olpoll** » 30 Sep 2008, 15:37

HOOOOOO, MY GOOOOOOD, GOD IT WORKED!!!!!

my little black beauty laid her first egg in the roll away nest box

nest box with no egg

nest box with egg

lets hope the egg eaters take note tomorrow!
and thanks again julia for the idea xx

Post by **Richard** » 30 Sep 2008, 15:47

I say - well done - and very frugal - I like it !!