Is it normal for a chicken to eat their own eggs!?

Question

One of my chickens cracked open her egg and ate the inside!
is this normal?

Answer 1

Yes. Try supplementing her food with a high protien game bird ration for a while. And don't forget to put out a bowl of calcium supplement (oyster shell or whatnot). That should decrease the egg eating.

Edit: Egg eating is the hens way of replenishing the nutrients and minerals that have been lost while laying. High protien feed for a week will NOT increase the chickens egg eating habit due to some lack of fat. A chickens body makes fat from the grain and greens that she eats. What she can't make is protien and calcium.

Each time your chicken lays an egg, that's how much protien and calcium and all sorts of nutrients that she's got to replace.

Usually she could replace that with bugs and forage. If she can't, she'll eat her own eggs for her survival. Usually chicken layer feed has added nutrients just for this. However, a quick boost up of high protien feed for a week will get her back on track.

Answer 2

Actually it is not normal for a chicken to eat its own egg.What this is telling you is that you have a problem.There are many reasons why a chicken will break and eat eggs.One of the biggest is boredom,this is caused by not having ample space for the amount of chickens you may have.Another reason is a calcium deficiency which can be solved with oyster shell.Laying hens never need any feed higher then 16% protein as well they need at least an 8% fat to balance it.So to high of a protein can cause them to eat the yolks of the eggs to gain the fat.Remember you want them to lay eggs not build meat.Another cause is not by the chicken but rather the rooster.Again he can become an egg eater for all the same reasons as the chicken.Some times chickens as well as roosters will eat eggs as a show of dominance.In any case and whatever the case you want to attend to it quickly before it becomes a habit.So before egg eating occurs what you want to do is make sure you are feeding enough.After morning and evening feeding there should be some feed left over.Next you want to keep a small amount of egg shell available in your coop depending on the amount of chickens you have will depend on how much.once the amount has been consumed it is best to wait at least a week before putting in more.make sure you feed a balanced feed and your chickens have room to move about.If possible at first signs of egg eating turn your chickens out and allow them to free range during the day this will keep them away from the coop as soon as they deposit their egg.If it is not possible then check for all of the above.

Answer 3

It is normal and it is considered a bad habit.
If you are keeping them for the eggs it does not help if they are breaking them and eating them.
Try to collect the eggs several times per day if you can that usually helps some.
But most hens will eat eggs if they break them.

Answer 4

Yes, it is normal. Many birds eat their own eggs, and that includes bird pets. Most times when pet birds eat their eggs, the eggs are infertile. At any rate, it doesn't hurt them and it's healthy for them.

Answer 5

Yes one of my mum's chickens used to do it regurlaly. i think it started because she broke one and afterwards she started doing it herself. My mum feed them crushed eggshells to give them extra supliments.