birds have developed a taste for eggs

[Wannabefree]

I have a marble egg I leave in the nest boxes and switch it around from time to time. I had taken it out, but had issues with pecked eggs again, and put it back in. Problem solved. Apparently pecking a solid rock is not high on their list of favorite things to do Anything hard and egg shaped would work, golf balls included.

Those were the original meaning of Nestegg BTW I collect nesteggs Many of the real nesteggs [before plastics] are quite pricy. Hand carved wood, shina. pottery and milkglass ones are worth a few bucks Each, Bone and ivory around $25 There are exactly 2 Parkesine (the very first plastic) nesteggs known and they are Priceless. Celloloid and Bakelite (both very early plastic), some are rare but many were mass produced vary a lot in value. There is a dispute on stone and metal eggs with most people thinking chickens are not dumb enouch to accept heavy and cold things as eggs. It is known that stone eggs are symbols of love and reproduction through much of the orient and were never used as nesteggs. As a collector I am usually buying so if you have ones you would like a quote on PM me with details.

That's pretty cool I had no idea nesteggs had such a history! This one came from the kids trip out West a few years back, so I'm sure it's not worth much. NOW I'll keep my eyes open for old ones though at flea markets and such I bet my grandma hs a few old ones put back somewhere. I'll have to ask and see if she'd be willing to part with them.

 

[Cindlady2]

I have a marble egg I leave in the nest boxes and switch it around from time to time. I had taken it out, but had issues with pecked eggs again, and put it back in. Problem solved. Apparently pecking a solid rock is not high on their list of favorite things to do Anything hard and egg shaped would work, golf balls included.

Those were the original meaning of Nestegg BTW I collect nesteggs Many of the real nesteggs [before plastics] are quite pricy. Hand carved wood, shina. pottery and milkglass ones are worth a few bucks Each, Bone and ivory around $25 There are exactly 2 Parkesine (the very first plastic) nesteggs known and they are Priceless. Celloloid and Bakelite (both very early plastic), some are rare but many were mass produced vary a lot in value. There is a dispute on stone and metal eggs with most people thinking chickens are not dumb enouch to accept heavy and cold things as eggs. It is known that stone eggs are symbols of love and reproduction through much of the orient and were never used as nesteggs. As a collector I am usually buying so if you have ones you would like a quote on PM me with details.

That's pretty cool I had no idea nesteggs had such a history! This one came from the kids trip out West a few years back, so I'm sure it's not worth much. NOW I'll keep my eyes open for old ones though at flea markets and such I bet my grandma hs a few old ones put back somewhere. I'll have to ask and see if she'd be willing to part with them.

Another type of "egg" you might have or want to collect is "Darning eggs". You might have some of those thinking they were nesteggs. Sometimes darning eggs have a handle but often don't. I still have a couple my great grandma used. I even keep one out for fixing socks.

 

[Denim Deb]

I have a couple of darning eggs w/the handles. Don't have a clue how to use them, though. My socks get a whole in them and I say, darn sock then toss it.

 

[Beekissed]

You might just increase your calcium levels in your feed/supplement so that they don't lay fragile, easily broken eggs. That usually does the trick for me~ never had an "egg-eater" all the years I've kept chickens. Also providing many places to lay so that they don't have to crowd into one nest to lay.

 

[rhoda_bruce]

They are getting the military treatment right now. I'm in there shortly after sun up. Roost is locked, so I don't have to send in a 9 year old for the hidden eggs. Extra rations and grit are available. Besides that, I just raid the boxes all day long, when I think of it. I saw evidence of losing at least 1 egg yesterday, but production has really picked up.
I'm wiping out my bean bed today and giving them the bushes. Started yesterday evening, but not enough hours in the day. If I get desparate enough, I'm wondering if I can just make a slanted insert for a few boxes, with a catch under, that they can't reach. If I do that, I could limit the amt of nesting boxes I allow, until all done.
Really the guineas are mean and I need to get them their own coop.........I'm wondering if they might somehow have contributed to my problem.

 

[~gd]

I have a couple of darning eggs w/the handles. Don't have a clue how to use them, though. My socks get a whole in them and I say, darn sock then toss it.

It would have to be a darning egg for children's socks to be taken for a nest egg because of the size. For those that don't know a darning egg was used to retain the shape of the toe or heel of a sock. first you would lay out the threads going ome way and then weave the cross threads or yarn through them with everything attached to the fabrick. just about every girl, woman or batchlor did darning. People walked more, many shoes didn't fit right and wool wasn't as strong as what we use today. a lot of darning took place.

 

[baymule]

I have a couple of darning eggs w/the handles. Don't have a clue how to use them, though. My socks get a whole in them and I say, darn sock then toss it.

It would have to be a darning egg for children's socks to be taken for a nest egg because of the size. For those that don't know a darning egg was used to retain the shape of the toe or heel of a sock. first you would lay out the threads going ome way and then weave the cross threads or yarn through them with everything attached to the fabrick. just about every girl, woman or batchlor did darning. People walked more, many shoes didn't fit right and wool wasn't as strong as what we use today. a lot of darning took place.

That sure sounds like some lumpy socks

 

[Cindlady2]

I have a couple of darning eggs w/the handles. Don't have a clue how to use them, though. My socks get a whole in them and I say, darn sock then toss it.

It would have to be a darning egg for children's socks to be taken for a nest egg because of the size. For those that don't know a darning egg was used to retain the shape of the toe or heel of a sock. first you would lay out the threads going ome way and then weave the cross threads or yarn through them with everything attached to the fabrick. just about every girl, woman or batchlor did darning. People walked more, many shoes didn't fit right and wool wasn't as strong as what we use today. a lot of darning took place.

That sure sounds like some lumpy socks

Not if you learned to do it right.... My family were real sticklers when it came to the needle arts. My dad said the socks my mom darned (and later me) were better than the ones his mom would do. I still darn some socks, when DH worked in a freezer all day he needed good expensive thermo socks and I would darn those. I have a hard time getting socks that fit right so I darn mine. One of the eggs I still have is about hen size, no handle, glass. The Other is wood with a handle... I think I might have a med. wood with no handle too. I haven't seen them for awhile because they didn' t get unpacked from the move, then DH and DS moved the boxes they where in to a place I can't get to! My great aunt had some of the milkglass nest eggs, I cracked one when I was a kid by accident

I have a friend that if she needs to find the egg eater will throw down (gently) an egg and watch for the perpetrator.

 

[Denim Deb]

Thanks to this thread, I had a dream about darning socks!

 

[Cindlady2]

Sorry...... lol