Egg Breaking by Hens

   Sometimes chickens begin breaking & eating their own eggs. Usually, it begins with no bedding in the nesting box. A hen lays an egg, and it hits a hard surface and cracks or breaks. If this happens once or even twice it usually doesn’t become a problem – USUALLY. After multiple times you will have a big problem as once chickens start eating the broken egg, they will often begin breaking eggs. Now the question becomes how to stop this behavior right away.

    Begin by taking a look at your Chicken Coop and ask yourself the following questions: Are you providing at least a 12” x 12” nesting box for every 4 hens? Are your nesting boxes at least 4’ from their roosts and at least 2’ off the ground? Are you keeping at least 2” of nesting material in the nesting box (straw or wood shavings) every day? Do your hens have enough waterer and feeder space – you might need to add some. If your hens are older or if you are not using a good quality feed, you may need to add free choice oyster shells and I would look at changing your feed. Other possible avenues are to reduce the lighting in your nesting box and to pick up your eggs earlier in the morning around 10 is best.

   More advanced options include a nesting box that allows the egg to roll away after it is laid. Another is to fill the box with wooden eggs or golf balls because the hen can not break them, hopefully after several days of failed attempts she will stop trying to break them. There is one measure that I have not tried but I believe it will work. Take a good egg, put a hole in both ends so you can blow the contents out. Then refill it with yellow mustard and put it in the nesting box on top of the straw or wood shavings. When the offending hen breaks it, I am sure it will be a nasty surprise. I am confident the hen will hate it!