Q Dear Practical Poultry, One of my chickens has started eating eggs. How can I find out which one it is, and how can I stop it?

A This problem tends to occur if the eggs are being laid in the bedding of the house where the birds are milling around feeding. A nest box should be provided so the eggs are separated from the birds for most of the time. The benefit of this set-up is that the bird pops in to lay, then leaves straight away and so the eggs tend to be left unmolested.
Soft-shelled eggs are another reason for this habit - poultry grit should always be available with the feed to ensure that the birds have the correct minerals to produce eggs with the best possible shell quality. As far as identifying the bird responsible for the eating, this is a difficult business. Often it's more than one individual that gets involved.