Hello, CyberFriends!

I need your advise on how to stop my broodhen from eating her eggs. I have never had a problem with her before. But now, whenever she lays an egg, I have to be there and take the eggs away before she eats them. She is a very important hen that has produced lots of winners.

Thank you for your help.

[victe]

If she is really very important winner producer, then try this very weird approach which cost a little bit: feed her her favorite feed early morning before she lays the egg( at least 18-20% protein)or just before she lays her egg. Be sure she drinks water. The best egg layer I ever had was 5 sucessive/consecutive days (1 egg a day). So . this means if at the first day, she lays her egg at 7AM the second day, she would lay her egg at +/- 8AM the following day until +/- 11 AM the the 5th day before. she takes a 1 day break.

If it doesnt work, force feed her with egg morning and afternoon including the shell until she doesnt peck an egg infront of her.[img]//sabong.com.ph/UbbNonCgi/smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[victe]

So. according to your profile, you are the malaria carrier. malaria exist in forested area. What is hot today is Anthrax, can you mutate?[img]//sabong.com.ph/UbbNonCgi/smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[GoodWings]

I had same experience and had solicited advise from Pitmaster BB then, the concensus was that problem might have risen due to lack of calcium. I tried feeding oyster grits (giniling na talaba shells) and mixing little salt with the hen's drinking water as advised. It worked!!! Try it.

Thank you for your quick replies, guys.

I am feeding her and all my breeders with around 18% protein diet, supplement them with high calcium multivitamins and minerals, with a decent amount of oyster shell all in their feed. I will try putting some salt in their water. I hope this works. Any other advice? Thank you.


Victe,

Bacillus anthracis is my ancestor. I have already evolved because I don't like to reproduce by myself, its no fun. I want to have some fun in the process.[img]//sabong.com.ph/UbbNonCgi/smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Originally posted by GoodWings:
I had same experience and had solicited advise from Pitmaster BB then, the concensus was that problem might have risen due to lack of calcium. I tried feeding oyster grits (giniling na talaba shells) and mixing little salt with the hen's drinking water as advised. It worked!!! Try it.

I agree with you. Good post!

[Harimanok]

1. Several factors can contribute egg eating;
a. Overcrowding.
b. When light intensity is too bright.
c. When there is inadequate nest.
d. Nest are not constructed properly.
e. Insufficient nest litter.
f. Initiated by accidental egg breakage, birds will learn to break eggs.
g. Owner throw cracked or broken egg on the floor for the chicken to eat.
h. Either deficiency of calcium or vitamin D in ration. (If you are mixing a commercial feed with scratch (ie cracked grains), you are diluting the previously complete diet which deficincies may occur).


2. Since your hen is eating eggs the following control measures may help.
a. Gather eggs more frequently.
b. Provide good nest.
c. Darken nest.
d. Feeding of liquid milk for a few days.
f. Break egg in a bowl and mix with 2 teaspoon of ground pepper into it. The bad taste may reduce egg eating.
g. Last resort, beak trim the chicken.

Boredom sometimes leads to egg eating, so try to let the hen out where she can scratch around a lot and have plenty to do,if you can isolate the guilty hen,remove her for a while to a new place and give her a lots of good things to eat untill she has forgotten about eating eggs.hope this will help...good luck!

WOW! you guys are very helpful. Thank you so much for the quick replies.[img]//sabong.com.ph/UbbNonCgi/smilies/bounce.gif[/img]
I will try your suggestions, i really hope i can make her stop eating eggs right away.

[San Roque]

It is ,indeed, very frustrating to see your precious eggs being eaten by your hens. You may want to try these:
1. Soft-shelled eggs is the usual cause why your hens learn to eat eggs. To prevent this from happening, try to increase their calcium intake by putting some shell grits and powder around your breeding yard for your hens to pick anytime they feel they need to. This will increase the shell thickness of your eggs and make it dificult for your hen to pick on it's shell. You don't want to add more shell powder to your feeds as this may cause some antibiotics(especially Tetracyclines) to bind with your calcium "fortified" feeds.
2. You may also choose to design your nest such that the egg will roll outside once laid. This will keep your eggs away from your egg-eating hens.

I hope this helps.

Thank you, CyberFriends!!! You guys are great!!!

I finally got her to stop eating eggs. It was the nest that did it.[img]//sabong.com.ph/UbbNonCgi/smilies/smile.gif[/img] I think she doesnt like to have her nest on the ground. I hanged it on the the backside of her pen. I made small enough for her to fit where she can only go up to lay and then come back right down after.

THANK YOU!!!

[Harimanok]

You bet!!!

all are very clever advises but the following i have choosen catches my attention....
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"2. You may also choose to design your nest such that the egg will roll outside once laid. This will keep your eggs away from your egg-eating hens... - san roque"

"f. Break egg in a bowl and mix with 2 teaspoon of ground pepper into it. The bad taste may reduce egg eating.
g. Last resort, beak trim the chicken.-- harimanok"


it may sound funny but very sensible!!

it is indeed a mind at work! kudos to Gentlemen!

cheer's

[benjaminabrigo]

try to buy a dummy egg or plastic shape egg.put it in a small cage together with your hen.time will come when your hen is tired of pecking on a plastic egg.