Why do hens peck eggs and what to do if the hens peck their eggs?

In winter, you can see that the eggs in the chicken coop are damaged - they are either completely broken or eaten. Considering that besides the chickens themselves, no one could do this, poultry farmers begin to look for methods of struggle against such a situation.

First you need to decide on the cause. This article will describe in detail why the chickens are pecking their eggs, as well as what to do.

Chickens peck eggs: Reason

Experts are convinced that hens peck their eggs, because they lack mineral components in the body.

But, this reason applies only to those individuals that are characterized by such signs:

1. Frequent fractures of the limbs in the bird.
2. Problems with equilibrium.
3. The egg shell is quite thin.
4. Slow growth of young individuals.
5. Cannibalism.

There are other reasons why hens peck their eggs. Among them:

1. An insufficient amount Calcium in the body of chicken. The main sign is that the chicken eats only the shell. She does not touch the contents of the egg.
2. The lack of protein in the body. This reason arises in winter, because in the summer the chicken replenishes the protein reserves by using insects.
3. The deficiency of vitamin D. If in the summer, walking around the yard, the chicken receives a sufficient amount of this vitamin, then in winter its reserves are reduced. If the chicken carries eggs with a thin shell, has a soft beak and limp when walking, then she does not have enough vitamin D.
4. A small nest. If the chicken is not enough space, it will be nervous. As a result, eggs are damaged, with which an adult individual is happy to enjoy.
5. A young chicken who has no experience. If the layer for the first time carries eggs, this can provoke panic and confusion. As a result, she begins to peck eggs.
6. There is not enough movement. If the layout does not walk and peck grass, it will begin to peck eggs.

Why chickens peck eggs that carry: breeds of layers that show aggression

If you breed chickens, give preference to not aggressive breeds. They will not peck eggs, and rush to a person. There are several breeds that show aggression.

These include:

• Orlovskaya. The advantages of the breed are high productivity and resistance to adverse weather. If this breed is not enough space, it will begin not only to peck eggs, but also to kill adults.
• Dakan. This breed is not suitable for rural courtyards. It is too aggressive, therefore it is often used to conduct chicken battles.
• Yurlovskaya vocal. Despite the massive complete set and high productivity, this breed is characterized by strong aggression. She can be thrown on other adults;
• Kochinhin and Zagorskaya salmon.

Chickens peck eggs: what to do?

• Couple breeders are constantly looking for ways to prevent egg bite with adults. This allows you to maintain the statistics of productivity, and grow a new generation of birds.
• Below are the common methods of combating the problem. First you need to decide on the reason, after deciding it.

Diet

• Most often, the chickens do not have enough calcium, which is contained in the egg shell. In this case, adults begin to hurt rickets.
• It is difficult for them to walk, so they spend a lot of time in a sitting position. To prevent such a problem, try to adjust the diet of the livestock.

Every day the bird should receive:

• Carbohydrates. Grind and mix carrots, pumpkin, beets and potatoes finely.
• Fat. Contained in oats, corn grains and dairy products.
• Squirrels. Introduce cake birds, bone flour, fish waste into the diet.
• Minerals. Add sand, crushed shells and wood ash to the nutrition of birds.

Some farmers try to add meat fighting waste to food. But, it is impossible for them to be blood. This can provoke aggressive behavior of chickens and signs of cannibalism. So that the body of birds receives a sufficient amount of calcium, you can enter into the diet of adults crushed egg shell. Try to grind the product to the consistency of sand.

Funds from the pharmacy

• Add a few drops to the drinking water regularly to drinking water iodine. This will make up for the lack of this component.
• If you started noticing that adults are pecking eggs, stronger pharmacy products will be required.
• They need to be added to the food for the bird. The optimal amount - 15 g per 10 kg of the mixture.

As potent drugs, they use:

• "Vitaminol";
• "Chiktonik";
• "Vyuschka";
• "Rex Vital."

You can also use "Biodvestin" or "methionine" In the amount of 10 g per 10 kg of food mixture. But, such drugs are allowed to use no more than once a month.

Folk methods

• If the bird begins to behave too aggressively, you can use the folk ways to correct the situation. First you need to find a violent individual and isolate it from the livestock. Literally for several days, the chicken will lose a sense of leadership and cease to show aggression.
• Try Do not hook young layers for adults. This can provoke conflicts in the livestock, which will damage eggs. To slightly weaken the aggression of the chicken, you can dip it in cold water. Literally after several educational procedures, the individual will cease to behave aggressively. It is better to do this in the summer, because hens are not resistant to colds, and can easily get sick.

Conditions of detention

• Chickens should be kept under correct conditions. Control the temperature in the chicken coop and the optimal level of humidity. Make sure that there are no drafts in the room. Other domestic animals should not be allowed to penetrate the chicken coop, because this will provoke a conflict.
• Do not forget on time change the litter, So that hygiene conditions are not violated. The temperature in the chicken coop should not decrease below -5 ° C. Therefore, in winter you need to use special lamps for warming the room, and put more litter.
• The nests should be voluminous enough so that the adult does not feel discomfort. Do not equip the nests in open space or on top. This can provoke the stress of the bird, which will lead to its unforeseen behavior.
• Can equip nests with special traysthat are sold in animal stores. Their surface is under a certain slope, due to which the eggs roll into a separate container. An adult will not be able to get to it.

Other, no less important factors:

1. Correct lighting. In order for the hens less to peck eggs, it is recommended to install blue or red light lamps. Also increase the length of daylight hours, and install additional lamps in winter. They will be an additional heat source.
2. Increase the size of the aviary. For 4 adults should be at least 1 m ². The more space, the better to feel the bird.
3. A canopy above the place of walking. If you build such a design, then chickens will be able to walk even in winter, and in the summer they will peck grass even in rainy weather.

Moron

• If chickens, despite all your actions, and further they continue to peck eggs, you need to cut it with the beak. But, this method is suitable only for experienced poultry farmers. After all, weak -characteristic people will not be able to do this.
• Animal defenders are actively opposing this method. After all, the bird experiences severe pain. This method is often used on poultry farms. At home, it is less common.

Creating a dummy egg

You can use this method if previous methods are unsuccessful. Fake products manufacturing options:

• Salty dough. Mix 1 tbsp. water, 1 tbsp. flour and a little salt.
• Knead the dough and make several dummies out of it.

To wean your eggs, you can use the cunning method. Using a syringe pump the contents of the egg. Inside, also enter something sharp. Make sure that the products are edible, but not dangerous for birds. As soon as the chicken begins to peck the egg, she will not like the taste. Literally a few days later, she will develop a reflex, and she will stop pecking eggs.

How to calculate the chicken that pecks eggs?

• If you want to know which chicken is pecking eggs, take a closer look at its appearance. Usually, traces of dried yolk remain on the beak. If such signs were not seen, make a bait, and fill it food dye. So you can understand which chicken spoils the eggs.
• If you were able to determine the individual that harms it, it needs isolate from the rest of the number. For several weeks, feed it with food additives with a high content of calcium and vitamins. A month later, it can be allowed again to the rest of the individuals.

Prevention so that the chickens do not peck eggs

There are recommendations that help prevent damage to eggs with adult chickens:

1. Collect eggs in a timely manner so that adult chickens do not have time to damage and blur them.
2. Take something adult individuals. You can build a bunch of compost to them, or hang cabbage sheets on a rope.
3. In winter evenings, feed the number of grain. The bird will spend a lot of energy to digest it, which will decrease the degree of anxiety and aggression.

If the hens peck their eggs, this can be regarded as a pathology. As a result, not only the owner suffers (losing chicken eggs), but the degree of aggression inside the livestock increases. Because of this, young individuals may suffer. If you carefully treat the herd, monitor the conditions of its residence and nutrition, then you can eliminate the reasons that provoke the deviant behavior of the bird.

Useful articles about pets:

• Why chickens do not carry eggs, chickens do not rush
• How to independently dress the skins of a rabbit
• Breeding chickens of broilers

Video: How to stop the otching eggs?