Many folks will tell you it’s OK to feed your chickens eggshells. In fact, most people will say it’s a great source of calcium for your chickens. However, feeding eggshells could cause some unwanted behavior from your flock. So why shouldn’t you feed your chickens eggshells?
In total, feeding eggshells can lead to chickens eating their own eggs. Once started, this habit can be difficult to break.
While eggshells contain some beneficial nutrients for your chickens, it’s not worth risking them getting an appetite for eggs. In this post, we’ll go through how to tell if your chickens are eating their own eggs, and how to stop it if it’s already started!
Feeding Eggshells to Chickens
Once chickens consume eggshells they are far more likely to break and eat their own eggs before you can gather them.
Many people begin feeding their chickens their own eggshells because they have read that they are rich in calcium and safe for the chickens to consume. While this is indeed correct, it can lead to some undesirable behaviors among your flock.
Chickens enjoy eating and pecking around on new food sources. Once you’ve introduced eggshells as a food source they will see their own eggs as a potential snack. Once this behavior is started, it’s quite difficult to break the habit.
How to Tell if Your Chickens Are Eating Their Eggs
In total, if the eggs are dirtier than normal and the nest appears wet around the remaining eggs then you most likely have a chicken eating eggs.
When chickens eat eggs, the eggs that are left will be much dirtier than normal. When a chicken eats an egg it tends to get the surrounding eggs wet, which will make dirt and manure stick to the remaining eggs quite easily.
You’ll also notice that the hay, straw, or nesting material underneath the eggs will appear darker, indicating that it has become wet.
The image above is a good example. You can see how the eggs are dirtier and that there’s moisture underneath and around the remaining eggs. This is a good indication that an egg has been eaten.
How to Stop Chickens From Eating Their Eggs
To stop chickens from eating their own eggs you can provide a balanced diet, reduce stress, collect eggs frequently, use roll-away nest boxes, add fake eggs to the nest, and treat egg-eating behavior immediately.
If you have chickens that are eating their eggs, it is important to take action as soon as possible. Not only is this behavior wasteful, but it can also become a habit that is difficult to break. Here are some steps you can take to prevent your chickens from eating their eggs.
- Provide a balanced diet: Ensure that your chickens are receiving a balanced diet that is high in protein and calcium. You can achieve this by feeding them a quality layer feed or by supplementing their diet with additional protein sources such as mealworms or scrambled eggs. Also, oyster shells are a fantastic way to increase their calcium intake so you don’t get accidental egg breakage. I wrote an entire article on the benefits of oyster shells if you’d like to check it out! Remember, do not give your chicken eggshells!
- Reduce stress: Reduce stress in your flock by providing adequate space, clean bedding, and proper ventilation. Chickens that are less stressed are less likely to eat their eggs. On average, chickens need 4 square feet each to not feel cramped.
- Collect eggs frequently: Collect eggs from the nest boxes as frequently as possible, ideally several times per day. This will prevent the eggs from piling up and getting cracked or broken, which can lead to egg-eating behavior.
- Use roll-away nest boxes: Roll-away nest boxes are designed to prevent chickens from accessing the eggs once they are laid. When the hen lays the egg, it rolls down a slope and into a collection tray, which prevents the hen from pecking at the egg.
- Add fake eggs to the nest: Adding fake eggs to the nest can help to discourage egg-eating behavior. When the chicken pecks at the fake egg, it will not crack or break, which will discourage the chicken from continuing to peck at its eggs. As an additional advantage, the fake eggs will also reduce your snake population, they won’t eat any more eggs after eating your fake one!
- Treat egg-eating behavior immediately: If you catch a chicken in the act of eating its egg, it is important to treat the behavior immediately. You can do this by removing the chicken from the flock for a short period or by applying a bitter-tasting spray to the eggs.
Conclusion
It’s never a good idea to feed your chickens eggshells. If you’re concerned your chickens aren’t getting enough calcium, I highly recommend oyster shells as a supplement. If you check your nesting areas and see dirtier than normal eggs, or your nest is wet, it’s best to employ the methods above to remedy the situation ASAP.