Breakages!

[Bephlam]

Ok...so it's getting annoying now. Almost daily I go out to collect the eggs and there is one broken.

I'm sure they're not breaking them on purpose, to eat. But...the girls are very heavy (as you all know) and I think what's happening is that they're going in to lay, and lying on top of the previous egg and crushing it!

Any suggestions?...I'm thinking I may have to make some kind of rolling nest box *sigh*...

Any other ideas? I do collect immediately WHEN I can...which is mostly always!! lol

[shirlthegirl43]

About all you can do is try to collect more often or indeed, as you suggest, put a slope on the nest box so the eggs roll out of the way.

We had a few broken ones when the 2 big hens started laying but they seem to have got the hang of it now and I collected 5 intact eggs a few days ago when we had been out all day.

[Glutton4...]

I found if I put loads of shavings in the nest box, and I mean loads, it made it safer for the eggs. Although I do have to dig for them occasionally! I can't be there to collect eggs every five minutes, and with 20 hens now there is more chance of breakages. Having the three large rubber dummy eggs in there may be helping too.

Good luck!

[Bephlam]

Well Glutton...I tried your method of 'hunners and hunners' of bedding in the nest box...and...no breakages since!!

I also managed to come up with someone to prevent them sleeping in the nest box. Behold....a clip on, clip off nest box guard!





It's working a treat!

[Snadger]

Well Glutton...I tried your method of 'hunners and hunners' of bedding in the nest box...and...no breakages since!!

I also managed to come up with someone to prevent them sleeping in the nest box. Behold....a clip on, clip off nest box guard!





It's working a treat!

As they say.......necessity is the mother of invention!