Egg Theif?

[sane cat lady]

Two of our Black Orpington girls started laying on Friday the 13th of September and gave us 8 beautiful Eggs within the first week, it is now October 3rd and we have not had a single egg since that first week. we don't live in the best neighborhood and I suspect that someone is stealing my eggs but wanted to post here first to see if anyone else had experienced this kind of production stop since it has been two egg free weeks.

 

[mrballance]

They can be somewhat unreliable at the start.

 

[Majd]

It's unusual for pullets to stop laying especially that early.... so yeah maybe a predator like rats snakes skunks and others are stealing them... or more probably like you're saying..... humans.... these are the most dangerous to deal with..... if you don't have a very good proof.... they'll keep bothering you.... and they might even steal the hens... a sensor camera is excellent.... make sure it's extremely hidden under something and make sure to set it when noooo oneeeeee is noticing anything.....

 

[enola]

I had human thieves in my coop. I had to put a lock on my coop door. No more nightly visitors

 

[Majd]

I had human thieves in my coop. I had to put a lock on my coop door. No more nightly visitors

Oh yeah.... and put a lock for the coop... lol... actually the eggs can't be stolen at night if you collect them every day as chickens lay from morning to noon usually. .. sometimes afternoon.... but yeah... a lock is a must for chicken theives.... you can also call the police if someone is intruding your property....

 

[sumi]

I had a problem years ago with someone helping himself to eggs from my coop (and I knew who it was, I just couldn't prove it). So I tied a large window burglar bar to the door frame as a security door. It swung open and close easily, so when we were home I left it open and when we went out I chained it to the other door post and padlocked it. The chickens could still get in and out of the coop easily, but it kept people out and the egg theft stopped. Another option for you may be a pop door that is only big enough for the chickens to use.

 

[Cknldy]

Not to hijack (the advice I'd give has already been stated) but I recently ordered some of the 'rare and fancy' chicks. People around here really only know about the production layers so of course I have to be different;-) The plan is to breed the best for hopefully show quality one day although I don't show. Anyhow, while I was building yet another coop on the mountain side property dh says 'You know you can see that from the road. People might steal your fancy chickens!' Thanks dh, now I have human-proofing to worry about in the future! Lol

 

[enola]

I go to work at 2pm and work 10 to 12 hour shifts. My eggs went missing over night. Eggs never went missing on my days off. The neighbors knew when the car was not in the driveway I was at work.....

Most people that have had chickens for 40+ years know hens don't lay at night . . .