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Hi All,
For the last year I have had two hens who have laid their socks off. One is ex-batt (so now approaching third year) one was bought as POL last year and I have now just added two pol Black Rocks. It appears from their combs that both original hens are still laying, however there is only ever one egg in the nest each day. I now suspect that eggs are being eaten but cannot decide who the culprit might be. I don't understand why only one egg is being taken and not two. I've also been wondering if one of the pullets is starting to lay and is laying soft-shelled eggs which are being eaten but again this doesn't explain why there is always only one egg in the nest. I waited yesterday morning for the last years pol to lay-she went into the nest box at 7.15am and I had to leave for work at 7.45 so checked then and she still hadn't laid after half an hour-is this normal? I remember hens we had when I was kid running into the nests and laying within a couple of minutes. I think I'm going to split up the hens into olds and pol to see if it stops and if there is any eaten egg in with the young ones. There is never any shell left so would this point to soft shell or just that they've eaten all the shell? I'm very confused. BTW, the new ones were added just over a week ago and last years pol (boss bird) has been beating them a fair bit but no blood and seems to be settling down now. Could the stress of the new introductions have caused older hens to start egg eating? I house them in an Omlet Cube so cannot darken the nest box or have roll-away nests. Any advice (very) gratefully received.
PJ
I should add that there is yolk staining and considerable wetness from the white soaked into the nesting material so there is definetly eggs being broken.
For the last year I have had two hens who have laid their socks off. One is ex-batt (so now approaching third year) one was bought as POL last year and I have now just added two pol Black Rocks. It appears from their combs that both original hens are still laying, however there is only ever one egg in the nest each day. I now suspect that eggs are being eaten but cannot decide who the culprit might be. I don't understand why only one egg is being taken and not two. I've also been wondering if one of the pullets is starting to lay and is laying soft-shelled eggs which are being eaten but again this doesn't explain why there is always only one egg in the nest. I waited yesterday morning for the last years pol to lay-she went into the nest box at 7.15am and I had to leave for work at 7.45 so checked then and she still hadn't laid after half an hour-is this normal? I remember hens we had when I was kid running into the nests and laying within a couple of minutes. I think I'm going to split up the hens into olds and pol to see if it stops and if there is any eaten egg in with the young ones. There is never any shell left so would this point to soft shell or just that they've eaten all the shell? I'm very confused. BTW, the new ones were added just over a week ago and last years pol (boss bird) has been beating them a fair bit but no blood and seems to be settling down now. Could the stress of the new introductions have caused older hens to start egg eating? I house them in an Omlet Cube so cannot darken the nest box or have roll-away nests. Any advice (very) gratefully received.
PJ
I should add that there is yolk staining and considerable wetness from the white soaked into the nesting material so there is definetly eggs being broken.
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