Need Poultry CSI for this mystery.. UPDATE PG 5

[jhc]

Rats.

 

[NC chicken man]

I caught a rat in my hen house about two years ago that was 16'' long when i first seen him i couldn't belive it ,so i realy looked around and seen where was coming in and out got a small live trap baited it and two days later got him ,it was the biggest rat that i have ever saw,but if you got feed you will have mice and rats.

 

[mudhen]

OK, OK. I'll go buy a trap this weekend and set it up.
Might be easy to catch if it thinks wood eggs are edible.

What did you use for bait? I know they'll eat just about everything, but is there something in particular thats better?

If its getting into the coop, the only way it can is through the coop door, and that is open only during the daytime.

I think I may actually invest in some sort of surveylance cam for my coop to see what is happening out there.... hmmm..

 

[illinichick]

I have had a broody hen carry eggs under her wings. I've even picked her up out of the nest box, set her on the ground and when she walked away, the eggs dropped to the floor.

 

[MissPrissy]

Hens will also roll eggs out and about.

 

[CrazyChickieMama]

Just do what my husband did..he set up the kids playhouse in front of the coop and when the rat showed it's ugly mug, he shot it....stupid little rat...haven't had a fresh egg in 2 weeks!!!!! he got him though...and had fun being a "sniper".

 

[mikeksfarmer]

Whats that brown opossum like thing by the ramp there? Id say he/she found a way to squeeze through and had been breaking an egg to eat and running with another.

 

[sandypaws]

bait for a rat???.. PEANUT BUTTER

 

[cmom]

I think a rat or some other critter took it out. I don't believe a hen can't get an egg out of a raised coop such as yours without the egg breaking. I put golf balls in my nest boxes. I have seen the birds move the balls around in the nests. Oops after I posted I realized it was a wooden egg.

 

[Buckguy20]

Sounds like something my nine year old "didn't do"

Any kids around?