Egg eaters-certain breeds prone?

[PeckingAround]

I sat in my coop for about an hour to catch our egg eater(s). I suspected one of my white leghorns and my suspicions were correct. Not only was I right, it might be two of them. I have a mixed flock and in the past the egg eaters we have had have all been white leghorns. Are leghorns more prone to being egg eaters? Or has anyone with a mixed flock notice one breed tends to eat eggs over another? Could just be a fluke.

I will say the past egg eaters we have had weren't around the ones we have now. And if they were it's been a long time (2 years) and the leg horns today just started doing this maybe in the last month. So I don't believe our past leghorns taught it to the ones now.

I had to figure this out quick because out of 14 laying hens we were getting 3-4 eggs. When I first suspecting an egg eater out of this bunch it wasn't such a significant drop in eggs. This last week was getting bad and I was getting worried about the juveniles learning the behavior. Luckily the juveniles still keep their distance from the big girls, so maybe they weren't watching/learning.

 

[Mamatomany123]

I sat in my coop for about an hour to catch our egg eater(s). I suspected one of my white leghorns and my suspicions were correct. Not only was I right, it might be two of them. I have a mixed flock and in the past the egg eaters we have had have all been white leghorns. Are leghorns more prone to being egg eaters? Or has anyone with a mixed flock notice one breed tends to eat eggs over another? Could just be a fluke.

I will say the past egg eaters we have had weren't around the ones we have now. And if they were it's been a long time (2 years) and the leg horns today just started doing this maybe in the last month. So I don't believe our past leghorns taught it to the ones now.

I had to figure this out quick because out of 14 laying hens we were getting 3-4 eggs. When I first suspecting an egg eater out of this bunch it wasn't such a significant drop in eggs. This last week was getting bad and I was getting worried about the juveniles learning the behavior. Luckily the juveniles still keep their distance from the big girls, so maybe they weren't watching/learning.

The only time I had a hen eating eggs was when she went getting enough calcium. I feed all flock and put oyster shells on the side. At the time I didn't know this hen was blind so she knew where the food was but not the oyster shell. I put the oyster shell by the food and "showed" her where it was. Since then I haven't had a problem. What are you feeding them? I don't think breed has much to do with it. Maybe just a coincidence

 

[PeckingAround]

They have plenty of oyster shell available at all times. We just switched from layer feed to all flock since we added the young ones in the mix about 3 weeks ago. This was becoming problem before we switched food but it just got a lot worse in the last week. We also give them scraps and they free range from 2pm to sundown almost every day. There are fake eggs in the boxes as well. You're probably right it's a coincidence, I just found it odd. The main culprit is also pretty aggressive towards all the others. Some of it is probably just pecking order but she can be pretty mean. I watched her climb over the very protective RIR to get at an egg and ran off with part of the shell.

 

[Celeste Villegas]

My white leg horns were the first to start eating my eggs. I have heard other people say that about the breed, but I’m not sure if it’s reliable.