How to stop Egg eating Chicken???

[MossflowerWoods]

Gents,

I LOVED the humor!

I had a couple very busy days and did not get back here to respond, sorry. I did add oyster shell, but I think they are ignoring it. I think the situation is still related to the snakes. they keep moving to new "nesting" areas, and they will not cooperate and use designated "nesting boxes".

Honestly I think the 2 eggs I've lost to "egg eating chickens" were eggs that broke or a snake broke, or ???? Seismic activity broke them maybe???

Anyway, I've not lost an egg to "egg eating chickens" since middle of last week.

Seems to me that means you guys already fixed this issue!

Be well,
David

 

[OldMcDonald]

Mfw, Most eggs will be laid reasonably soon after daybreak (or "lights on") say 4 hours and virtually all within 7 hours. It is uncommon to have an egg laid later in the day, although it does happen. Keep them penned for that first 4 or 5 hours and they will lay in the pen - usually all in the nest boxes. With lighting in the winter, it is best to have the lights come on early enough that the hens have their full allocation (I like 16hrs on a commercial scale) and go to roost naturally. That way a morning collection gets maybe 90 to 95% of your daily eggs and a quick check in early afternoon means none are left in the boxes to freeze overnight and crack - then thaw out and make a mess as soon as the first hen warms it up.

 

[lockhaven]

Gents,

I LOVED the humor!

I had a couple very busy days and did not get back here to respond, sorry. I did add oyster shell, but I think they are ignoring it. I think the situation is still related to the snakes. they keep moving to new "nesting" areas, and they will not cooperate and use designated "nesting boxes".

Honestly I think the 2 eggs I've lost to "egg eating chickens" were eggs that broke or a snake broke, or ???? Seismic activity broke them maybe???

Anyway, I've not lost an egg to "egg eating chickens" since middle of last week.

Seems to me that means you guys already fixed this issue!

Be well,
David

now about the apology hmmmmmmmmmm falsely accused of cannibalism. Poor creatures were tried and convicted by some mentioning "chicken and dumplings" "meeting the HMR17" "Chicken soup" horrible now some even want incarceration of the inocent birds. despicable

 

[MossflowerWoods]

now about the apology hmmmmmmmmmm falsely accused of cannibalism. Poor creatures were tried and convicted by some mentioning "chicken and dumplings" "meeting the HMR17" "Chicken soup" horrible now some even want incarceration of the inocent birds. despicable

HEY NOW!

The cannibalism was real, those eggs were eaten by their MOTHERS!

I don't have an HMR17 yet...

My chickens do not cooperate at all...

David

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Mfw, Most eggs will be laid reasonably soon after daybreak (or "lights on") say 4 hours and virtually all within 7 hours. It is uncommon to have an egg laid later in the day, although it does happen. Keep them penned for that first 4 or 5 hours and they will lay in the pen - usually all in the nest boxes. With lighting in the winter, it is best to have the lights come on early enough that the hens have their full allocation (I like 16hrs on a commercial scale) and go to roost naturally. That way a morning collection gets maybe 90 to 95% of your daily eggs and a quick check in early afternoon means none are left in the boxes to freeze overnight and crack - then thaw out and make a mess as soon as the first hen warms it up.

Inland Portugal sounds nice... On my submarine I pulled into Lisbon and also visited a small town on the coast (where we drank too much "puss in boots" rose'... But that was long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away...

My chickens do not cooperate. I just went out and gathered 2 freshly laid eggs at 3pm local. I only got one duck egg this morning at 6am when I fed them.

I have no lights, I do it all natural.

I have a dirt floored former woodshed I converted in a weekend due to predation by foxes (the threads are all here in the past).

I am down to 10 full size hens, one bantam hen, one bantam rooster, 4 ducks and 3 drakes.

Thanks,

David

 

[OldMcDonald]

Mfw, Inland Portugal is nice, very nice. What is "puss in boots"? What was your collection time prior to 3pm? How many eggs did you collect today? You have too many drakes. Kill at least two, preferably all three. 6am is too early to be letting your ducks out if you want their eggs.