Re: Look what I was blaming on my girls............

[Zanna]

Lots of broken eggs, missing eggs, been going on for weeks, in the main coop and in the hay pile, everywhere the girls like to lay.............

Bait egg (small fart egg) set at 12:30:09 today

Look who arrived at 12:35:26

Assesing the feast 12:35:30

Breaking into feast 12:35:33

Bandit and egg gone

12:36:19

Now what to do????? They hop right through the auto chicken door into the coop!!!!! They can carry off the smaller, thicker shelled eggs, the thinner shelled ones just break.

 

[Yetti]

if the birds are out and you expect the jay to come steal them then set a trap to scare it off. I recommend a pull string tripped to a rat trap mounted on the wall to throw a broom handle or something big enough it can make loads of noise. tie the string to an egg and let the games begin.

 

[moondog425]

Put some fake/training eggs in there or maybee some golf balls, That would throw them for a loop

 

[champer]

I just joined this site and the first thread I read was this. I too, was blaming my chickens for all the half eaten eggs, only to discover the jays were the culprits! I have to watch for a chicken to go in the coop and then close the door after her and only let her back out after I've retrieved the egg. With 4 hens, this has to be repeated multiple times a day and is not sustainable. I was thinking of putting in a flap that the chickens had to push thru to get in or out of the coop during the day, anybody think that chickens would/could learn to use a door like that?

 

[klf73]

pretty bird

 

[happyhensny]

At least it isn't your hens.

 

[Zanna]

My chickens free range all day, some go back to the coop to lay, the rest lay in the hay barn which is open on one side so not possible to use netting. The trap would not work as the chickens come and go from their tractor/coop all day long. Someone else suggested putting out some treats for the jays, that worked for them. So, tomorrow up go several bird feeders hung where the chickens can not get into them. I am also going to try some bird netting just attached at the top inside of the auto door, I am pretty sure the chickens will push through it, they are so used to going in and out that little door. We shall see! The coop is also covered with fine bird netting as the jays were flying right through the chicken wire. I have one or two wooden eggs in every nest the girls lay in, the scrub jays know which is the real egg, they are smart little buggers! They are pretty but are real scavengers! Thanks everyone for all of the ideas and yes, I am thrilled it is not my hens!!!

 

[Tala]

Maybe get them to start using a roll-away nest box that keeps the eggs more secure?

 

[edgroger]

I'm surprise blue jays are also a threat

 

[klf73]

we have blue jays here, they don't look like that.....looks like a western bluebird to me