White Leghorns Eating Their Own Eggs- HELP!

[aweeks13]

Sorry if this has been discussed before- I wanted to add some pertinent details that may be important for whatever solution I might receive from y'all.

Okay, so I have two types of hens (and one rooster, who is a white leghorn); ISA Browns and White Leghorns. We have about 25 of both types.

Something weird is happening with the White Leghorns, though. They're eating their own eggs, and I don't know why. I give them layer pellets, various weeds, oyster shells, and plenty of water. They only eat their own eggs, at least they're only eating their own for now. The ISA Browns do not eat their own eggs and they get exactly the same stuff, and they live in the same coop. I've also noticed that the White Leghorn eggs are much more fragile, even rubbing them with a paper towel a bit too hard breaks them instantly.

If you need more details, please make sure you let me know.
Thanks!
aweeks13

 

[Debbie292d]

Thin egg shells means not enough calcium. For some reason, even though you said they get oyster shell, the leghorns aren't getting any of it or enough of it and are perhaps eating the eggs to get calcium. Are the other chickens keeping them from it? Maybe try more than one dish of it so they can get some of it. Kale is also very high in calcium as are sesame seeds and other such items.

There are dozens of things I've seen posted for people to try to get their hens to stop eating eggs such as filling an egg with mustard, putting golf balls in the nest boxes, etc., but the one I heard that seemed to work the best was putting curtains on the nest boxes. My idea was to make them black and paint the inside of the nest box black, too, so they couldn't see the eggs.

 

[ksbkeys]

Sorry if this has been discussed before- I wanted to add some pertinent details that may be important for whatever solution I might receive from y'all.

Okay, so I have two types of hens (and one rooster, who is a white leghorn); ISA Browns and White Leghorns. We have about 25 of both types.

Something weird is happening with the White Leghorns, though. They're eating their own eggs, and I don't know why. I give them layer pellets, various weeds, oyster shells, and plenty of water. They only eat their own eggs, at least they're only eating their own for now. The ISA Browns do not eat their own eggs and they get exactly the same stuff, and they live in the same coop. I've also noticed that the White Leghorn eggs are much more fragile, even rubbing them with a paper towel a bit too hard breaks them instantly.

If you need more details, please make sure you let me know.
Thanks!
aweeks13

It is hard to stop once they learn how yummy they are. It usually starts when an egg is accidentally broken and one hen will eat it. Definitely address why the egg shells are thin and more breakable.

Here is how to change this behavior:

When my hens did this, I would be sure to get the eggs immediately after laying...(not easy when you have 50 chickens like you do). I would then replace the eggs with wooden eggs. When they went to peck the egg to break it, they couldn't. This worked great...within a few days, the habit was broken. They quit trying to break them and ceased the activity.

 

[aweeks13]

Thin egg shells means not enough calcium. For some reason, even though you said they get oyster shell, the leghorns aren't getting any of it or enough of it and are perhaps eating the eggs to get calcium. Are the other chickens keeping them from it? Maybe try more than one dish of it so they can get some of it. Kale is also very high in calcium as are sesame seeds and other such items.

There are dozens of things I've seen posted for people to try to get their hens to stop eating eggs such as filling an egg with mustard, putting golf balls in the nest boxes, etc., but the one I heard that seemed to work the best was putting curtains on the nest boxes. My idea was to make them black and paint the inside of the nest box black, too, so they couldn't see the eggs.

tysm!

 

[aweeks13]

It is hard to stop once they learn how yummy they are. It usually starts when an egg is accidentally broken and one hen will eat it. Definitely address why the egg shells are thin and more breakable.

Here is how to change this behavior:

When my hens did this, I would be sure to get the eggs immediately after laying...(not easy when you have 50 chickens like you do). I would then replace the eggs with wooden eggs. When they went to peck the egg to break it, they couldn't. This worked great...within a few days, the habit was broken. They quit trying to break them and ceased the activity.

Thank you, I'll buy some wooden eggs!

 

[nuthatched]

Are they getting enough protein?
Blow out and fill egg with yellow dish soap, mustard won't be as effective.