# Chicken Behavior



## Topmom (Feb 16, 2012)

I have a flock of 6 month old White Rocks. They are mostly free ranged (unless I am away from home). I have been feeding them 22% layer pellets, scratch and keep oyster shells out at all times. They also get a variety of fresh veggies from the garden. I still have 3 old hens that are still laying but the younger ones eat their edges immediately....the only time I can get an egg is if I just happen to be in the hen house when one of the old girls is on the nest. I've tried putting fake eggs, rocks, golf balls, etc. in the nest to no avail. I have never caught the perpetrator in the act so not not sure which one or ones out of the 22 new ones. Another thing they do is scratch the straw out of the nest everyday.....none of my other chickens have ever done this. Any suggestions?


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## Toffee (Mar 13, 2012)

Egg eating, from what I have read is actually an old hen habit. Try separating your hens if you can. Even if you divide the flock in half, you will have a better idea as to which one it is. That would be my suggestion anyway.


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## airdrop (Jan 6, 2012)

We have 2 ducks and the poor dears put out the sacrificial eggs but once in awhile the eater will get a chicken egg. The straw thing is something ours do to so we quit putting it in the boxes, layed some rug type material for them to set on and adsorb the shock when the egg drops. We tried more protein in there diet to stop the egg eating but no good. You need to go in early and try to catch her doing it and cull her out before she teaches others to do it .


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

With the other advice given:

I would look at the size of your coop and run with the number of chickens you have. 

Also I would put some oyster shells/scratch in the run till I could find out which one it is, check the hen house as often as you can.

Best of luck.


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## nightwing (Jul 26, 2014)

put in a camera if you do not cull her she will cost you and if they start 
raising cain you can see what it is (hopefully) before you go.


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