I moved my broody out of the chicken pen and put her in a kennel with a box by herself. They eggs will be 21 days on Wednesday. She started with nine eggs and I had to throw 5 out about 2 weeks ago. So a week ago, I found one egg broken just inside the pen near the wire(away from the broody box). I thought maybe she had kicked it out and broke it. Today I went out and found a broken egg with a fully developed chick inside the pen near the wire side(away from the broody box). Again, nothing was missing, egg shell was all there and the full body of the chick was there.
I am wondering if something is getting into the kennel. There are gaps near the bottom of the kennel that something small could slide under. It doesn't make sense that what ever it was would leave the eggs without eating them or taking the egg with it. Could my hen be doing this? The only predators that I think would come into the yard would be skunks and cats and they would have to be small to get through the wire bars. I have never seen rats and with all the cats around I can't imagine one getting close. I am worried about the last two eggs and don't dare move her because they are so close to hatching.
I am wondering if something is getting into the kennel. There are gaps near the bottom of the kennel that something small could slide under. It doesn't make sense that what ever it was would leave the eggs without eating them or taking the egg with it. Could my hen be doing this? The only predators that I think would come into the yard would be skunks and cats and they would have to be small to get through the wire bars. I have never seen rats and with all the cats around I can't imagine one getting close. I am worried about the last two eggs and don't dare move her because they are so close to hatching.
