Does this look like a snake ate this egg?

[Moogie]

And is it possible to tell?

My chickens have never eaten their own eggs and they free range 2X a day. I'd been suspecting that I had snakes inside the coop, since I recently saw a huge rat snake crawl off the roof and (just a couple of days ago) saw a small rat snake inside the coop. I've only been getting 4 eggs/day from 10 hens for the past couple of months - they're all 1 to 1.5 years old and healthy. (they were recently treated with Wazine for worms, so I don't think it's that) We've closed off all the available cracks and openings we could and I'll do a search about snakes, if that's what any of you think this is.

The 4 eggs in the nesting box had all been pushed forward under the front box lip and this one had a small hole in it, with all the insides gone, except for a very small amount of dried yolk in the bottom.

I just need to know whether ya'll think I should suspect a snake or a chicken, so I know what I'm dealing with.

SNAKES!!! Blech!!!!

 

[Moogie]

Also... (forgot to mention) I just purchased 7 new hens and a full-grown rooster yesterday. I had to isolate and separate them due to age/size differences, so I had to put the rooster and 3 older girls (15 weeks) in the coop with the possible snake problem.

Do you think these chickens are safe - or should I move them out? Could a rooster (our first one ever!) handle a full grown rat snake, especially since they seem to be able to climb so well and could reach the roost??

Thanks so much - I'd hate to lose any of them!

 

[gpwelding1]

actualy,a snake eats the whole egg shell and all.
this egg looks to me like possibly a hen pecked it.

 

[CluckyCharms]

Egg-eating snakes usually swallow eggs whole, drain all the yummy goodness out of the center of the egg, crush the shell internally and then regurgitate (puke up) the crushed remains of the shell:


Picture Source: Google

I think your egg looks like some sort of lizard got it or you have some chooks with sweet tooths in your coop.

Lizards eating eggs

(Any lizards where you live?) =/

Chickens eating eggs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1yQvLDOH3A&feature=related (this is not in English and I can't understand a word he's saying but you definitely get the point)

Nice fix for chickens who eat their young!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glQFIH8Y1ac

 

[Oregon Blues]

That's not snake damage. It looks like it has been pecked.

I've lost too many eggs to crows, but they make around hole in the side of the egg, so that does not look like crow damage to me. I don't think it is rat damage, either.

You got magpies or blue jays?

I'm afraid that I am suspicious of your hens.

 

[sourland]

That's not snake damage. It looks like it has been pecked.

I've lost too many eggs to crows, but they make around hole in the side of the egg, so that does not look like crow damage to me. I don't think it is rat damage, either.

You got magpies or blue jays?

I'm afraid that I am suspicious of your hens.

X 2

 

[Moogie]

Thanks so much for all your replies. I was just puzzled by the location of the eggs. Usually, the eggs are all in a clutch in the center of the nesting box (in a depression in the straw), along with 2 fake plastic eggs. But all 4 of the real eggs had been pushed up under the front lip, in a line - and the fake eggs were in the center of the nesting box. Just really weird egg positioning for my hens - something they'd never done.

We do have lizards - some very large (nearly 12" long) - both anole and eastern fence lizards.

My DH filled all the holes going under the frame of the hoop coop with concrete. (Our hoop coop is connected to our wood coop by a chicken tunnel - covered on all 4 sides with hardware cloth) We got 6 eggs yesterday from our 10 hens (a record - the past 3 weeks, we'd only gotten 4 per day).

CluckyCharms - thank you so much for the pic and all the great links - that was very, very helpful!! I left a reply for the youtuber who had made such a nifty fix for his egg eating chickens (Do you happen to know how that netting/bar was made?)
So now, if it happens again, I think it is probably one of my girls. Again, thanks to all of you!!

 

[Eggcessive]

Since you have new chickens I would suspect that is why someone got rid of them or one of them.. I caught a blacksnake in my coop recently, and he had the whole egg swallowed . He shortly afterward lost his head.

 

[Moogie]

That would have been my first thought too, except the new girls are too young (9 and 15 weeks) and aren't laying yet. It must have been one of my older gals.

 

[Moogie]

BTW - for anyone living in the D/FW area, I got my new chickens from a ranch in Terrell called CC Lacey Ranch. They have over 1800 chickens and I was blown away by how clean ALL the coops/pens were. (they hire men specifically to keep the coops clean) They were divided by breed and age and there was absolutely no odor anywhere and all the chickens were just beautiful and so healthy. My DH and I both agreed it was well worth the 1.5 hour drive. I'm not related to this person (I found their ad on Craigslist) and this was my first purchase - I just thought I'd pass along a great place to get pure breeds (they carry 18 different breeds).