Why are my hens eating their eggs?
It’s a question no poultry keeper wants to ask — but many eventually do. Imagine walking out to your backyard coop, expecting a basket of fresh eggs, only to find broken shells and yolk-soaked straw instead. It’s frustrating, confusing, and costly.
If this is happening in your flock, you’re not alone. Egg-eating is one of the most common and discouraging behaviors among hens — and it can start suddenly, even in a healthy, happy coop.
Whether you’re a first-time chicken owner, a small homesteader, or an experienced backyard poultry keeper, this article will help you understand why your hens are eating their eggs and, more importantly, how to stop it for good. From psychological triggers and nutritional deficiencies to environmental stressors, we’ll break down every possible cause — and show you practical solutions that actually work.
Let’s dive in and solve this egg crisis together.
What does it means when hens eating their eggs?
At its core, egg-eating is exactly what it sounds like: a hen breaks open and consumes her own or another hen’s egg. But while it might seem shocking or unnatural, egg-eating is actually a learned behavior — not an instinct.
Once started, egg-eating can spread like wildfire in a flock. One hen sees another doing it, and soon, you have a coop full of freeloaders enjoying an all-you-can-eat omelet bar.
But here’s the good news: if you understand why your hens are doing it, you can fix it. This behavior can be reversed with the right approach.
Why Are My Hens Eating Their Eggs? (All the Real Reasons Explained)
There’s rarely a single cause of egg-eating. Usually, it’s a mix of environmental stress, nutritional deficiency, boredom, or accidental discovery. Let’s look at each root cause in detail.
1. Accidental Discovery
Sometimes hens discover the taste of eggs purely by accident. Maybe an egg cracked when it was laid, got pecked accidentally, or dropped from a poorly designed nest box. The hen tastes the contents out of curiosity — and discovers a rich, delicious food source.
That first taste often starts a habit.
2. Nutritional Deficiency (Especially Protein & Calcium)
Hens that lack certain key nutrients may start seeking them from their own eggs. Eggs are rich in protein, fat, and especially calcium — all things that laying hens need in large amounts.
Signs of nutritional deficiency:
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Thin or soft eggshells
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Reduced egg laying
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Excessive feather pecking
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Increased aggression
Key nutrients often missing:
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Calcium: Needed to build strong eggshells
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Protein: Needed for egg formation and general health
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Methionine & Lysine: Key amino acids for productive laying
If your hens aren’t getting a balanced layer feed or access to supplemental calcium (like crushed oyster shells), they may start seeing their own eggs as a nutrient source.
3. Boredom and Lack of Enrichment
Chickens are curious and intelligent creatures. If they’re stuck in a cramped or dull coop without much to do, they’ll start pecking at anything — including eggs. This is especially common in winter or during extended periods of confinement.
Bored hens become destructive hens.
4. Overcrowding and Stress
Too many hens in a small space can lead to stress, pecking, aggression, and egg damage. Overcrowding often results in eggs being laid on the floor (rather than in nests), increasing the chance of them breaking and being eaten.
Recommended space:
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Minimum 4 square feet per hen inside the coop
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10 square feet per hen in the run
5. Inadequate or Poorly Designed Nest Boxes
If hens don’t have a safe, dark, private space to lay eggs, they may lay them in open or high-traffic areas. Eggs get trampled, stepped on, or cracked. A cracked egg is a tempting treat.
Common nest box issues:
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Too few boxes (should have 1 box per 3–4 hens)
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No padding or bedding
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Bright, open areas with high noise or movement
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Nest boxes too low or too close to food/water
6. Lack of Routine Egg Collection
Leaving eggs in the coop too long is a recipe for disaster. The longer they sit, the higher the chance of accidental breakage — or curious pecking. Once a hen figures it out, she may do it again.
What Does Egg-Eating Look Like? (How to Spot the Signs)
You may never see a hen eating an egg, but you’ll notice:
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Yolk stains in the nest box
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Empty shells or no shells at all
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Sudden drop in egg count
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Wet bedding with egg remains
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Hens with yolk or eggshell bits on their beak
If you suspect egg-eating, isolate a few hens in individual nest boxes and observe. Or use a motion-activated camera near the nesting area.
How to Stop Hens from Eating Eggs — Step-by-Step Solutions
Now for the part you’ve been waiting for: fixing the problem. Here’s how to break the cycle, whether it’s one curious hen or a whole flock gone rogue.
Step 1: Collect Eggs Frequently (2–3 Times a Day)
The longer eggs sit, the more likely they’ll be broken. Aim to collect at least twice a day, especially during peak laying hours (usually early morning to noon).
Step 2: Provide a Nutritionally Complete Diet
Make sure your flock is eating a high-quality layer feed with at least:
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16% protein
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Adequate calcium (or provide crushed oyster shell in a separate dish)
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Access to grit (especially if they’re eating anything other than feed)
Avoid feeding too many table scraps or scratch grains, which dilute nutrient intake.
Step 3: Improve Nest Box Design
Give your hens the ideal nesting setup:
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1 nest box per 3–4 hens
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Soft bedding (straw, pine shavings, or nest pads)
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Dim or dark area for privacy
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Sloped-bottom or roll-away nest boxes to keep eggs hidden
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Elevate boxes off the ground and place them in quiet corners
Step 4: Reduce Boredom and Stress
Give your chickens something better to do than peck eggs:
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Hang cabbage or treat balls in the run
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Add perches, dust bath areas, or chicken swings
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Scatter feed or mealworms to encourage foraging
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Provide outdoor time, sun, and room to roam
Step 5: Remove Habitual Egg-Eaters
If a hen has become addicted to eating eggs, you may need to isolate her or rehome her. In extreme cases, chronic egg-eaters are impossible to retrain.
Tip: Mark the suspected hen’s eggs and monitor closely. If she’s confirmed, isolate or cull if necessary.
Step 6: Use Dummy Eggs or Golf Balls
Place ceramic, wooden, or plastic “fake eggs” in the nest boxes. When a hen pecks them and finds nothing, she may lose interest.
Alternatively, blow out a real egg, fill it with mustard (which hens hate), and reseal it. This often breaks the habit quickly.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
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Using soft or brittle feed eggshells as calcium supplements (bake and crush thoroughly if you do)
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Letting eggs sit too long in the coop
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Feeding too many treats, which unbalance nutrition
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Failing to act quickly once egg-eating is spotted
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Assuming it’ll “go away on its own”
Real-Life Scenarios: How Backyard Chicken Keepers Fixed It
Case 1: The Winter Boredom Breakdown
Laura, a first-year chicken keeper in Michigan, noticed broken eggs every morning during winter. After reading about boredom, she added hanging treats and straw piles to scratch in. Within two weeks, egg-eating stopped.
Case 2: The Hidden Nutrient Gap
Daniel had a healthy flock — or so he thought. He was mixing cracked corn with layer feed to save money. When he switched back to a complete layer pellet and added oyster shell, the behavior disappeared.
Case 3: The Accidental Discovery
One of Lisa’s hens broke an egg by stepping on it. Curious pecking turned into a habit. She started collecting eggs more frequently and added roll-away nesting boxes. Problem solved.
Tips and Long-Term Prevention Strategies
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Inspect eggs daily for cracks or abnormalities
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Don’t allow broody hens to sit on other hens’ eggs unattended
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Rotate enrichments in the run monthly to prevent boredom
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Use cameras to monitor problem behavior
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Keep bedding clean and dry to reduce stress and egg damage
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can you stop a hen from eating eggs once she starts?
Yes, especially if caught early. Quick intervention with changes in diet, nesting, and egg collection habits can reverse the behavior. Chronic cases may be harder to fix.
Will egg-eating spread to other hens?
Absolutely. Once one hen learns the trick, others can follow by observation. That’s why swift action is critical.
Is egg-eating caused by lack of calcium?
Often, yes. A calcium deficiency leads to weak shells (which break easily) and encourages hens to seek calcium by eating eggs.
Should I cull a hen that eats eggs?
Only as a last resort. Try all preventive methods first. If a hen is a chronic egg-eater and teaching others, culling may be necessary to protect the rest of the flock.
Are brown eggs more likely to be eaten than white eggs?
No — shell color has no impact. Thinner shells, regardless of color, are more vulnerable to breakage and pecking.
Final Thoughts: Breaking the Egg-Eating Cycle for Good
Egg-eating can be a frustrating and emotionally draining issue — but it’s also highly solvable.
By addressing your flock’s nutrition, space, environment, and nesting setup, you can stop this habit before it becomes widespread. The earlier you act, the easier it is to turn things around.
Remember: your chickens aren’t being bad — they’re just responding to their environment and needs.
Stay observant. Act fast. Be consistent. And your hens will go back to being productive, happy layers — without stealing their own breakfast.
Next Step:
Check your coop today for soft shells, broken eggs, or stress signs. Start with one fix — like boosting calcium or collecting eggs more often — and monitor progress. Small changes can make a big difference.