The Poultry Keeper

Beetrooper · Joined: 18 Sep 2005 Posts: 2

Hi, i am new to this forum i am having a problem with my chickens i have two, two year old Rhode islands, one Buff Orpington (1 year old) and one Brown Leghorn 5mths and three Silikis 5mths old. the young ones are not laying yet but the two Rhodies are and I don't know which are doing this but every day now for over two weeks the eggs have been pecked and eaten - how can I stop this!!

nigel · Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 3:57 pm Post subject:

There are several things you can do to help with this.

First obviously is to remove the eggs as soon as possible. If however you're like me and have to work during the day..

You could try roll-away nest boxes which takes the eggs away from the offenders.

You could try making the nest box darker, I know people who have added 'curtains' to the nest box to darken them to help with this problem. They made them from cheap rubber car mats cut into a fringe.

Adding porcelain/rubber eggs or even golf balls can help too. The hens not knowing the difference eventually get bored and stop.

As far as I'm aware hens have very little sense of taste, so i believe the adding of chilli etc to the eggs to be of little use. Indeed paprika was used to add an deep orange colour to egg yolks.

Hope this helps

EDIT

to add - WELCOME TO THE PK Forum

Beetrooper · Joined: 18 Sep 2005 Posts: 2

many thanks I will try your suggestions Smile

sasha.p · Joined: 04 Sep 2005 Posts: 492 Location: gwent

i have new chickens too and they were eating the eggs so i put a golf ball in with them last week and since then they have left them alone but i did have to take the golf ball out yesterday as my one hen was sat on it for half a day Shocked