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On a previous thread I mentioned that when we introduced some new hens, two of them retreated to the nest box and started to live in there eating eggs for nutrients and moisture, we only noticed it was the same ones in there each morning when they started looking rather worse for wear (very pale combs and poor feathers). We shut them out for a few days and although there was some pecking, they all settled down again fairly quickly. However we're still having problems with them eating the eggs... They regularly break and eat one or two eggs - occasionally more. This means that we're running low on eggs, and it simply isn't afforable to keep feeding these two if they're only going to damage eggs...
I dont' want to get rid of them, and we haven't really got the space to keep them separate from the other hens. I have had it suggested to leave a booby-trapped egg filled with mustard in there, but i'm not convinced that it'll help!!
Any Ideas anyone!!

Hi
I had the same problem. I used a combination of a wooden egg (which hurts them when they peck it) and the mustard filled booby trap. It really did work.

I mixed flour, a healthy measure of cheap english mustard, some mint leaves and lots of salt into a dryish mix and then put it inside an egg shell. Put it all back together and try to make it look as real as possible then sneak it in. It certainly cured my lot.

If you can, try to grab the eggs as they lay them. They may then forget about eating them.

Finally, you can apparently buy little plastic "bumpers" that you put over their beaks. They can still eat but they won't be able to peck a hole in the egg. I've never tried them but I think others on the site might have had some experience.

Good luck.

Zoe

Thomzo wrote:>>>>>>>>

Finally, you can apparently buy little plastic "bumpers" that you put over their beaks. They can still eat but they won't be able to peck a hole in the egg. I've never tried them but I think others on the site might have had some experience.

Good luck.

Zoe

DINNER TIME...............