For those who raise poultry, birds’ tendency to break and consume eggs is a difficult issue. To properly treat this behavior, it’s critical to comprehend its causes. Below is a summary of the typical reasons and fixes:
Reasons for Breaking and Eating Eggs:
- Nutritional Deficiencies:
Hens may turn to their own eggs for calcium or protein if they are deficient in these elements.
Eggs are more likely to break accidentally when their shells are weak, which is frequently the result of a calcium deficit.
- Unintentional Discovery:
Occasionally, a hen may unintentionally break an egg and find its delicious contents. One may learn a behavior as a result.
Stress and Boredom: Hens kept in small or uninteresting spaces may turn to eating eggs as a way to pass the time.
This conduct can also be brought on by stressful circumstances.
- Overcrowding
Unintentional egg breakage might result from having too many chickens in a limited area.
- Inadequate Nesting Boxes:
Hens may break eggs when laying if they have an uncomfortable or inadequate nesting box.
Learned Behavior: Hens may develop a habit of eating eggs, and other hens may pick up the practice as well.
Prevention and Solutions:
- Give Your Hens a Balanced Diet:
Make sure they eat a premium layer feed that has enough protein and calcium.
Serve oyster shell free-choice as a calcium supplement.
- Strengthen Eggshells:
Strong eggshells depend on consuming enough calcium.
Strong eggshells are essential for the quality of your chickens’ eggs as well as their general well-being.
Supplements containing calcium:
The most well-liked and strongly advised calcium supplement for laying hens is oyster shells.
The slow-release calcium found in oyster shells is perfect for the production of eggshells.
You can easily find them at feed stores.
Oyster shell should ideally be offered as a free-choice item in a container apart from their diet.
Another great source of calcium is limestone grit.
Chickens can readily absorb it, much like they can with oyster shells.
- Gather Eggs Regularly:
To reduce the likelihood of eggs breaking, collect them many times during the day.
- Provide Cozy Nesting Boxes:
Make sure nesting boxes are stocked with soft bedding, are clean, and are dark.
Make sure your flock has adequate nesting boxes.
- Use Dummy Eggs:
Put golf ball, ceramic, or wooden eggs inside the nesting boxes. Hens will feel disheartened and peck at them.
- Preserve Cleanliness:
Make sure nesting boxes are kept tidy.
- Determine and Separate Troublesome Hens:
Consider temporarily isolating the egg-eating hen if you can identify her. Finally, think about taking the hen out of the herd.
You may greatly lessen the issue of egg breaking and eating in your flock by taking care of these issues