Need a chicken coop cam - S/O chicken thread

[robinsmommy]

I am hopeful y'all will know enough about tech to help me figure this out.

Our chickens are eating the eggs - once laid, we have literally *seconds* to grab them. We are currently spending large amounts of time hanging out outside the coop watching and waiting, like chicken voyeurs and then snatching still wet eggs from under the hens. Even as a keeper of hens for almost 10 years, I know way more about egg laying and current flock politics than I ever thought to. I could cull the flock (and for egg eaters, there are experienced chicken keepers who would recommend that as the best/only solution), but I am reluctant as they are in their best egg laying year. We could be getting 4-6 eggs a day if we harvested them all - which is fabulous from 7 hens. If we can grab them consistently, we may also be able to break the habit.

We need a camera in the coop, aimed at the nesting box, to watch them from inside the house, from a computer or such while we are working on other stuff - they stand for a minute or two before laying (yes, they all lay standing up, aside from 2 goofballs who lay standing on the roost) so if we can see when they shift to a stand, we have time to run outside and be there to grab the egg when it drops.

What camera is right for this? It needs to be peck resistant, and I guess needs to be live action? It does no good if the feed is delayed a few minutes. A friend who uses trail cams suggested a video baby monitor. Really? I just find that so....ironic in this situation. Sound could be useful, but is not necessary. The coop is within range of our house Wifi - it's not a super strong signal, but should be enough. We do have an extension cord out there for the heat lamp in winter, but battery operated would be nice.

What camera would y'all recommend?

The Easter bunny appreciates help in ensuring we have enough eggs to dye - the kids still enjoy it at 18 and 14 (it is really cool since none of the eggs are actually white to start with), so I'd like to make the most of it.

[o_mom]

I am hopeful y'all will know enough about tech to help me figure this out.

Our chickens are eating the eggs - once laid, we have literally *seconds* to grab them. We are currently spending large amounts of time hanging out outside the coop watching and waiting, like chicken voyeurs and then snatching still wet eggs from under the hens. Even as a keeper of hens for almost 10 years, I know way more about egg laying and current flock politics than I ever thought to. I could cull the flock (and for egg eaters, there are experienced chicken keepers who would recommend that as the best/only solution), but I am reluctant as they are in their best egg laying year. We could be getting 4-6 eggs a day if we harvested them all - which is fabulous from 7 hens. If we can grab them consistently, we may also be able to break the habit.

We need a camera in the coop, aimed at the nesting box, to watch them from inside the house, from a computer or such while we are working on other stuff - they stand for a minute or two before laying (yes, they all lay standing up, aside from 2 goofballs who lay standing on the roost) so if we can see when they shift to a stand, we have time to run outside and be there to grab the egg when it drops.

What camera is right for this? It needs to be peck resistant, and I guess needs to be live action? It does no good if the feed is delayed a few minutes. A friend who uses trail cams suggested a video baby monitor. Really? I just find that so....ironic in this situation. Sound could be useful, but is not necessary. The coop is within range of our house Wifi - it's not a super strong signal, but should be enough. We do have an extension cord out there for the heat lamp in winter, but battery operated would be nice.

What camera would y'all recommend?

The Easter bunny appreciates help in ensuring we have enough eggs to dye - the kids still enjoy it at 18 and 14 (it is really cool since none of the eggs are actually white to start with), so I'd like to make the most of it.

Wyze Cam from Home Depot. They have an outdoor one for $60 that is battery operated. You will probably need to build a cage for it to keep the pecking away.

We have their indoor one and it works really well. With the SD card (included at HD), you can store at least a couple days of video to go back and review if you want, but there is a live feed as well.

[JBaxter]

Are you giving them oyster shells and making sure they get enough protein? I grew up with chickens and mom still has them. I remember adding oyster shells & sunflower seeds to their feed when we started finding eaten eggs. Mom always said they were deficient is something usually calcium We went in the morning and evening to check for eggs.

[frugalmom]

Are you giving them oyster shells and making sure they get enough protein? I grew up with chickens and mom still has them. I remember adding oyster shells & sunflower seeds to their feed when we started finding eaten eggs. Mom always said they were deficient is something usually calcium We went in the morning and evening to check for eggs.

Good advice. Our hens last summer eat them a few times. We also put in fake eggs and that seemed to do the trick. Also I thought I have heard that bored chickens tend to eat their eggs.

https://www.communitychickens.com/ch...hat%20behavior.

[JBaxter]

Good advice. Our hens last summer eat them a few times. We also put in fake eggs and that seemed to do the trick. Also I thought I have heard that bored chickens tend to eat their eggs.

https://www.communitychickens.com/ch...hat%20behavior.

yes mom has wooden eggs in her nesting boxes.

[sf333]

I second the Wyze reco. They are cheap and work great. We actually have the indoor cams mounted outdoors (in protective housing). They’ve been up for over a year now and we’ve had no issues - and they made it through a New England winter!

[Snow mom]

How about modifying the nest boxes to roll out the eggs? Seems like an easier solution than trying to snatch each egg as it is laid.

[frugalmom]

yes mom has wooden eggs in her nesting boxes.

Yep we had some from the play kitchen stage.

[robinsmommy]

We will add the oyster shell back in -they have had it before, but kept making a mess with it.

We have used fake eggs, both rubber and ceramic.

I suspect they are bored and a bit short of protein/interesting wiggly things to eat. Bugs are just starting to wake up here as we are in a long winter area.

I guess I can look into a roll-out set up, but they are so determined that I don't know if it would work. The worst offender sticks her head under each layer's butt to watch the egg come out. No joke. The camera is an easier solution in a lot of ways - I have limited energy to modify the coop right now.

[frugalmom]

We will add the oyster shell back in -they have had it before, but kept making a mess with it.

We have used fake eggs, both rubber and ceramic.

I suspect they are bored and a bit short of protein/interesting wiggly things to eat. Bugs are just starting to wake up here as we are in a long winter area.

I guess I can look into a roll-out set up, but they are so determined that I don't know if it would work. The worst offender sticks her head under each layer's butt to watch the egg come out. No joke. The camera is an easier solution in a lot of ways - I have limited energy to modify the coop right now.

Could you try a higher protein feed?

Do you keep chickens all year? I don't keep them over winter. I was wondering if winter effects this more? Do they do it all year round or only winter? Or if keeping them in the coop because of winter weather would make them more found to do that.
Are they free ranging or in a run?
Could you give them so different foods until the bugs are out more? We would give ours tons of kitchen scraps, corn on the cob, whole watermelons, and pretty much everything else.