Isolating an Egg-eater

[emholm]

Hi - I have two 5-year old hens that live in an old coop and five 9-month young chickens that have their own new coop. Both coops are in a large fenced in area. A couple of years ago, one of the old hens started to randomly eat her eggs. Having lost a few chickens, I decided to get new chicks last summer. I built them their own coop and after a while integrated them with the 2 old hens. The 5-year old egg-eating hen immediately became alpha. Over the winter, my new chickens began to lay and the alpha hen started to lay her eggs in the new coop. She did not seem to eat them, so I thought we were good. However, this week she started to eat her eggs again. After 3 eaten eggs, I decided to isolate her in the old coop. That created a lot of stress and only one new chicken laid an egg. Also, the other old hen refused to go in the new coop and I found her roosting in a tree when I went to close up the coops for the night. They get plenty of food - crumbles, harvest feed, bird seed and mealy worms. Can I continue to isolate the alpha egg-eating hen and teach the other old hen to use the new coop? Will the new chickens adjust to the alpha being isolated from them?

 

[Toothpick]

I have fake eggs that I keep in the nest boxes all the time. I tossed them in because one was eating the eggs and I haven't had an egg ate in many months now. I'm just lazy and haven't taken the fake eggs out but I should.

I doubt the chickens will care if the alpha is isolated or not. They will just make a new pecking order. Try some fake eggs to break the habit.

 

[emholm]

Thanks. I had tried the fake eggs unsuccessfully, but will try again! Right now I am keeping the egg-eater separated in the old coop and hoping for a new pecking order.

 

[Ridgerunner]

haven't taken the fake eggs out but I should.

Why should you? What problem do you see with leaving them in the nests? I always leave a fake egg in my nests. I don't see any downsides.

Can I continue to isolate the alpha egg-eating hen

If you wish, but why? She has proven she cannot be trusted to not eat eggs. I'd be concerned that she would teach the others to open eggs to eat them if you ever let her out.

and teach the other old hen to use the new coop?

Yes, you can. I don't know enough details to give specific suggestions but if you can I'd train her to sleep in the new coop instead of in a tree and leave her (and the others) locked in the new coop every day until they laid their eggs. In a week or so she should be trained.

Will the new chickens adjust to the alpha being isolated from them?

Yes. They and the other old hen will adjust of you get rid of her.