Why Chickens Eat Their Eggs

We've made a startling discovery: chickens will eat their own eggs. Actually, it is the eggshell they will eat, pecking little holes in the top of the egg, eventually crushing the whole shell if not removed. Surprisingly, it turns out there is a reasonably good explanation for this unusual behavior...

It all started after our little possum starting sneaking into the chicken coop and feasting on the nest of eggs that Tock had been so diligently caring for. He would crack open the eggs, suck out the insides, and leave the shells scattered on the floor of the coop. And we foolishly often left the crushed shells for a day or two before removing them. It wasn't long before the chickens, who instinctively peck at just about everything, started pecking at their own egg shells. And in doing so, they apparently decided they liked them!

It turns out that hens need lots of calcium to produce eggs with healthy and strong shells. The most common way to provide this is by feeding a layer mash that has added sources of calcium, or by adding ground oyster shells to their scratch. Another alternative, though not usually recommended, is to grind up their egg shells and mix that in with their feed. We now know why that method is avoided: because once the chickens get a taste for their own eggshells, they will start pecking holes in their eggs. And voila, that is how our eggs have come to look like the one in the photo!

The eggs are still edible, as they have a very thick inner membrane that still holds the yolk and white snugly inside the egg. But they sure don't look pretty, and we can't really pass on eggs with holes to friends and family.... We're not sure how to stop this strange behavior, other than to check on the chickens a few times each day, and try to get the eggs out of there before they have a chance to munch on them. And hopefully once spring comes, and the chickens have plenty of forage available, they will stop this silly behavior!

Comments

[Karla]

I totally remember buying oyster shells to add to our chicken feed when I was a kid!

[Matt]

To extend on your situation chickens will also eat the inside of the egg if they get the chance. They enjoy the taste for some reason and there is really nothing you can do to stop this, besides collecting eggs more often.

[Susan Gasper]

You know, my parents fed the egg shells back to our chickens all the time when I was growing up. They still do. I even do it for my chickens... I don't have an egg eating problem. I also keep calcium (oyster shells or argonite) free choice for them in a feeder as well as free choice grit and mineral. My parents didn't even do that, they'd just toss some oyster shells out on top of the egg shell heap when their shells seemed a little flimsy.
A real help for egg eaters is to have a nest box that is dark, not like the modern nest boxes that are open fronted but one that keeps it nice and dark inside. My parents have a variation of what's called a "tunnel" nest box. It actually stresses chickens to have to lay in these modern nest boxes that everyone uses these days. I do have to admit though.. lol I use one for the moment as well, at least until we get a better one built. I hope this helps.

[Sue]

I had the problem with my chickens eating their own eggs. I went to our local Produce store and brought two white plastic eggs and a bag of shell grit. Four girls pecked at the plastic eggs madly and then gave up. I now get 9 eggs per day and the plastic eggs are still in the nest along with a healthy supply of shell grit everyday!