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5:23 pm
March 4, 2010
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I have a question about our chickens. They are eating their eggs.
We checked our chickens' oyster shell content, and they are fine that way, so my aunt suggested newspaper, scrunched into a ball, for them to focus on instead. My aunt said that their chickens ate their eggs when they were bored, and when they did this, they stopped.
Right now they are cooped, due to the winter season. They are also in a small space because that is all we have, so we figure that she could be on to something.
Does anyone else have any tried & true ideas to keep the hens busy doing something other than consuming eggs?
5:49 pm
June 12, 2011
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That's the first time I've ever heard of chickens eating their eggs when they're bored. The usual procedure when a hen begins to eat eggs is to kill her before she teaches the other hens to do so as well. But if you want them to stop you could put golf balls in the coop and try to collect the eggs right away. Eventually, after pecking the golf balls and finding that they don't break, the hens may be broken of their bad habit. Good luck! 
5:50 pm
February 10, 2009
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Do they lay eggs in a nest box? If possible, drape it partially with a bit of burlap sack or cloth to make the nest box dark. For some reason if it's dark where they lay eggs they are less likely to pick at them.
it's true that they get bored, I never heard of the newspaper trick, but sounds worth a try. One of my favorites is to get a cabbage and something to push down through the core. Any way you can do it, I have some heavy wire… it's so thick it's actually beyond wire, I bent it around to make a sort of loop, one end longer than the other, then push that down through the core and hang the cabbage from a rafter. It's a cabbage piñata and the chickens love it.
I also have a suet feeder that I hang from that same rafter, filling it with any kind of greenery, cabbage leaves, lettuce anything I have. I've heard of people putting balls in the coop too, not sure if that works or not, but I don't see why not.
7:28 pm
April 20, 2011
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A small space is hard on chickens. You can have too many chickens for the coop. They will even begin to peck on each other. A neighbor gave us an old-time remedy that does work sometimes. Put some tabasco sauce in the eggs that they have started to eat. I have heard also that if you can find out who the culprit is and to remove it from the flock. Then you can decide what to do with it. If your coop is close to the house and you can see it, you can let your chickens out about 2 hours before sunset, they won't go far and they will get to run around some. Hope that helps. I like BuckeyeGirl's idea with the suet feeder and goodies for them to eat.
7:35 am
January 9, 2011
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I have done what BEG suggests, putting a cabbage in their coop fro them to peck. I also dole out falls pumpkins to them, 1 at a time. Just cut it open and lay it on the floor. It takes them a few days to eat it.
I have to admit though that the snow and ice must be piled pretty high for me to not open the door and let them out of the coop. Even if they only sit in the doorway, thats okay with me. They are happier to have the option.
8:35 am
February 10, 2009
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aprilejoi is right, I live in northern OH inside a 'lake effect' snow area, and we do get our share. The chickens pull up their little snow boots and button their chicken down coats and go out in the yard anyway. I suppose even just having the doors open helps them feel better, and fresh cold air is healthier than a stuffy closed up coop.
I still get any mushy fruit and old veggies from a local corner store for free, and buying a cabbage or two isn't too much to spend most of the time if need be. Some of the larger grocery stores won't give out old veggies anymore, I guess they're afraid someone will get sick or something trying to eat the wrong thing. Me telling them it's for my chickens doesn't help, even though I know they believe me, (I must have the crazy chicken lady look) it's not worth risking their jobs to go against the store policy I suppose, and I don't want to argue when it's not really their fault.
10:46 am
March 4, 2010
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BEG, I was wondering…once you start giving them cabbage and you get eggs again, wouldn't that flavor them? I have a suet feeder hanging in the garage, largely unused because a dog that we had would eat the suet and chew the feeder. Now at least there could be a good use for it. No dogs allowed in the coop! lol
We only have a dish for them to lay in at the moment. We are hoping to get some roll away nest boxes made this next week. We just haven't had the time to do so yet. We are hoping that this will make a big difference. As for the rolls of newspaper, they unrolled their reading material shortly after I threw it in to them, and ripped it apart. Must have been boring stories. lol Stupid chickens. I could see how throwing them goodies could make a bigger and longer lasting difference. I will have to see what I have around. I know that I have lots of tomatillos in the freezer, would this work?
We have no door on the coop either. We are still in the process of fixing it up and didn't get to fixing a door. If you are to keep things warm and draft free, how would you go about with the door thing? Also, in the same coop in a different portion, we have some 8 wk. old chicks that we don't want to lose. Would they be able to handle colder temps now?
1:19 pm
February 10, 2009
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at 8 weeks, they probably aren't fully feathered and so still need some warmth so no, that's too young for really cold temps. It's recommended that they start out at around 95 degrees, usually doable with a 100 watt light bulb, then raise that bulb up a little each week so their temps drop by around 5 degrees per week Keep reducing that till they are fully feathered, probably closer to 11 – 12 weeks, where they are really well feathered and can withstand most reasonable temps… but still draft free is best.
I'd guess they still need more shelter than your coop is able to give them, but I can't recall what part of the country your in, so that makes a huge difference of course.
If I didn't have a door on my coop, the local raccoons would have all my chickens et by now!!! My coop door us locked up TIGHT every night by dusk, AND the dog goes out on regular patrol all night long. I always know when he catches one nearby, he HATES them!!! Yay dog!!!
Also, I have no idea about tomatillos, don't see why they would hurt them. I've never noticed any taste difference with cabbage. I am careful about onions though.
A coop needs some air flow, vents or open windows up high to keep air circulating, just not too close to where they roost. In the winter, colder is better than too warm! I'm not kidding, respiratory issues and sick birds guaranteed if you try to seal a coop up too much!!
I've never had luck with the hot sauce or mustard or such things in eggs to break egg eaters. Mostly mine just eat eggs when the shells are soft, or yeah, they get bored. A dark nest box with the golf balls in to give them the idea that 'this' is the place to lay, and then they want out faster I suppose too, so they don't bother the eggs so much. I've even heard of jingly cat toy balls helping on the floor of the coop, (not in the nests). Not sure about that one though or for how long is all.
12:11 pm
April 8, 2010
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Hi,we live where it is cold too but our hens are out a lot in the winter.Our coop is not very big and I think they would go goofy being inside all the time.We pulled an unused calf hutch over by their run so they can go in there and be out even if it is raining or snowing.The open side is to the south so the sun can shine in.
Our run is made of chain link dog kennel panels.We bought several at the flea market until we got enough to make a good size run and we lay extra panels over the top to keep out hawks and cats.Every now and again we move the run so they have a new place to scratch.
Our coop sets up off the ground. DH has a lift thingy on the back of our little Ford8N and can pick up the coop and move it too.For the winter we have the space under the coop closed in with boards and have straw bales set against the walls to add insulation.
Look on line. There are chicken toys you can get to help keep your hens entertained if need be. Oh, do you have a box of grit for them to peck in? They need little stones in their crops.
Do you have windows where they can look out? If ours have to be shut up sometimes for a bit I see them all lined up looking out the windows. Maybe you could make some shelves or perches they could get on other than their roosting poles.
Mostly if you could just get them outside someway safely, that would help.Good luck and keep us posted.
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