# Egg Eating Hen: Problem Solved



## stoneunhenged (Sep 22, 2007)

I have a valuable pair of Sussex and the hen --or maybe it's the rooster-- have become adept at eating their eggs within a few minutes of them exiting the hen. So, I needed to come up with a way to save the eggs. Thought about the old 'pepper in the sacrificial egg' trick. Sounded sketchy at best. Then there's the old 'electric shock' egg. Couldn't find one.

So, I built a nest box with a slightly slanted floor. The egg, when laid, rolls to the back of the nest box where it drops down a slot and lands on a foam-cushioned base. The base is also slanted and it rolls the now-protected egg to the front of the nest box. Open the hinged door on the front and --presto!-- the egg awaits. It has worked like a charm.

Here's the nest box:










An interior shot (note the rear slot where the egg drops down):










The egg door showing the blue cushioning foam:


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## WildWisc (Dec 19, 2007)

Now, that is NICE!


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## whiterabbit454 (Jun 3, 2008)

that is something to see! nice job im glad it works for you what do the chickens think about it?


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## stoneunhenged (Sep 22, 2007)

Frankly, I think it ----es them off. But they keep laying in it.


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## dolmen (Jun 17, 2008)

I've heard of these but thats the first I've seen, very good.

Cheers

:rock:


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## lupiefarmer (Apr 30, 2008)

I got my egg eater and told her that the meat birds were almost ready to butcher. She would be going with them if she didn't knock it off. Not sure if it worked - think I will make one of these instead! 

Very nice work, what a great idea.


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## Highland (May 10, 2002)

Where theres a will theres a way! Very nice idea


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## turtlehead (Jul 22, 2005)

stoneunhenged said:


> Frankly, I think it ----es them off. But they keep laying in it.


:rotfl:
That's a great concept and a beautiful execution. How hard was it to get the slants right, so the egg would roll all the way but not too fast?


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## trulytricia (Oct 11, 2002)

Now there's a possible money maker. I bet you could sell a few.


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## stoneunhenged (Sep 22, 2007)

turtlehead said:


> :rotfl:
> That's a great concept and a beautiful execution. How hard was it to get the slants right, so the egg would roll all the way but not too fast?


Not too bad. Experimented a little with the angle and some expendable eggs.


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## hedgewell (Aug 25, 2010)

can you please post plans for your pictured nest box w/ dimensions? 

and have you made a multi-nest box version of this? i'd be interested in plans for that also, if you have them, as it'd sure save a lot of time experimenting.

good idea and good work. thanks for the pictures and any further help you can provide.


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## suelandress (May 10, 2002)

I would like to have 6 of them please!!


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

:rock::thumb::thumb::goodjob:


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

I don't have egg eating hens. I have egg eating snakes. Got any solutions? LOL

Very nice box. It would solve the problem of hens who insist on hatching anything round that they can plop their bums on.


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## Dazlin (Nov 26, 2007)

Thanks for sharing! Great idea on the box! I'm with you Cyng on the egg eating snakes lately...just lost a chick this morn. I'm putting up smaller gaged wire over the existing and yes, digging it down as I always do. It's expensive, but I have it around the duck pen and never had a snake problem there. I also put up some window screening around another coop(over existing wire) that seemed to hepl...so far.


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## Freeholder (Jun 19, 2004)

That might solve my problem, too -- egg-eating skunks!

Kathleen


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## onthespot (Oct 7, 2007)

I agree with the broody problem too. I don't like them setting an egg for a day and a half before I pick them up. Right now I only go see my birds every other day or three. (Long story)


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## PrincessFerf (Apr 25, 2008)

We're having a bit of an egg eating problem recently... I'm going to modify our current nesting boxes after these... they look fantastic.

My only concern is during the winter that the eggs will all freeze before I can collect them (we work during the day).


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## FoxyWench (Jan 22, 2010)

thats an awesome idea!!!


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## Wolf Flower (Dec 21, 2005)

Awesome! My hubby will be building some of these for me.


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