Please help, I have a chicken that is now eating eggs!!!!!

[Happy Farming Momma]

Elmo is a Road Island Red hen that just came out of her mult about a week ago and has been laying, but all of a sudden she has been eating eggs. Not sure if she has eaten her own but she has eatin the other hens eggs. So far we are at a loss of 4 eggs. So for now I have her seperated in a Great Dane sixed crate with food water and a box!

My question is.... Does anyone know how to stop her from eating the eggs besides eating her? The only reason I don't want to eat her is because she herself just began laying. But if I can't figure out some way of stoping her I will eat her!

Also, I have an Americana(sp?) hen that is about 4 yrs old and is normaly out and about with the other girls. But today (very windy day) she has not left the coop, or the roost for that matter! Could she be on her way out? I have been getting ready to make stew with her as she has stopped laying quite a few weeks ago! What do you think??????

 

[SmallFarmGirl]

She might just be starving her self so you'll Change your mine about stewing her.
She may be sick OR just hanging out. My hen will sometimes just roost during the day then hop back to norma in the evening.
I would take the eggs away as soon as possible but other wise; I don't really know! Sorry!

 

[Happy Farming Momma]

Thanks for the input anyways! Every lil bit helps I find.

 

[Stacykins]

Is the girl roosting doing so on an actual roost or in a nest box? She might be going broody if in a nest box. They don't even need eggs under them to go broody, they just sit there, fluffed out and flat as a pancake with complete determination to be mother's. And if you got her as an AmerIcana, then she is likely what is known as an Easter Egger. Kind of a mutt breed of blue egg layers. Sadly hatcheries sell EEs under the name of Ameraucanas and Araucanas, both are established breeds that breed true.

As for the egg eater, no actual firsthand knowledge. But I hear you can blow the contents out of a normal egg, then fill it with mustard (the condiment). Then when she goes to eat it, she'll get a mouthful of yuck and she may learn not to do that again. You hope.

 

[Happy Farming Momma]

Well the one that is roosting is on a roost and not in a box sadly! So I have no idea.

But as for the butt head eating my eggs....I might just have to try the mustard thing.

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[SmallFarmGirl]

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/six-tips-on-breaking-your-egg-eater
Help yah?

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Put golf balls in the next boxes. It helps teach young chickens where to lay and it also confuses the eag eatter. When the peck a golf ball, it hurts.

 

[Trigoat&pbrlover]

You should go to http://www.backyardchickens.com/
you will get some more answers there.

 

[Beekissed]

Your bird is eating eggs because the shells are breaking(when laid or when stepped upon when birds get into and out of the nest) and chickens are opportunistic eaters. Just increase your calcium...put the oyster shell right in their food, not free choice, and increase your protein as well. This time of year chickens are diverting a lot of calcium to feather regrowth and not so much to the egg shells.

Increase these two things and wait awhile....it always stops after the egg shells are more firm. IMO, there is no such thing as an egg eater...three generations of keeping chickens in my family and we've never had one. Oh, we have eggs eaten by chickens at certain times of the year but we've never had what folks on these forums refer to as an "egg eater"....ALL of our chickens eat eggs when they get the chance.

 

[Happy Farming Momma]

That is great, you guys have helped me so much thanks.

Now I just need to figure out how to change the title of my posts so people know that I don't need help any more!