Question: I farm my favourite breed, Buff Orpington chickens. Lately, however, they’ve started eating their eggs. They are fed every morning and afternoon and they also get a lot of greens and snails from the garden… and also a lot of love. Can you suggest a cure?

Hens generally eat their eggs if they have a calcium deficiency, but it could also have become a habit.

Supplement calcium by ensuring there is shell grit available at all times in the coop. Collect eggs as often as possible and remove any half-eaten ones.

• This article was written by Dr. Mick Versfeld and first appeared in Farming SA.