The Poultry Keeper

Graeme Monteith · Joined: 30 Jun 2006 Posts: 1

I have a black Cochin who began laying soft shelled eggs, I think she got a taste for them and is now an egg eater! She is otherwise a lovely bird and is a pet firstly and a layer secondly has anyone got a solution for this problem please which does not involve wringing the birds neck

nigel · Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 1:52 pm Post subject:

Hi Graeme
Egg eating can be a really difficult one to break once they have learned it. I don't recommend adding chili powder or mustard to eggs as is sometimes suggested. Hens have very little sense of taste and this really doesn't discourage them. In fact paprika has been used as a feed additive to enhance yolk colour.

Obviously you should remove eggs as soon as possible after they are laid. However if like me you work office hours this isn't always possible. What I would suggest is darkening the nest box in some way. I know people who have used cheap rubber car mats cut to size and then cut to make a fringe of strips. The darkened space means the hen can't see the eggs as easily. The other thing that you can do is to leave some ceramic eggs or even golf balls in the nest box. The reasoning being the hen will try to eat them, not be able to and give up.

I can't give you a success rate for either course of action though.

Someone else may have another solution for you.

mojo · Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 2:00 pm Post subject:

golf balls(dirty them a bit) and anti pecking specs often stop the problem

George · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 5661 Location: London

Failing that, you could also try rollaway nest boxes. If the eggs out of reach it should stop her