Disappearing Eggs.

[Samsunmike]

Yesterday I went to collect the eggs, there were 7. They were all warm, so I thought one of my hens was broody & had left them for a short time. I left them in case the hen returned to sit on them. This morning my wife went to collect eggs for breakfast, & there were only 4 (2 newly laid & 2 older ones). 5 eggs have completely disappeared with no trace of eggshell. Could the other chickens have eaten them ? I read that chickens could eat eggs if they are calsium deficient. My chickens are out in the field for a few hours each day & there are lots of greens, sand & soil for them to scratch about in. Everyone suggests feeding crushed oyster shell. I don't know wether there is oyster shell where I live, but there are millions of other shells on my local beach. Can I crush these & put them in the feed ?

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

It's $4-$6.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Definitely yes on the oyster shell...but there may be other egg eating culprits. Could have snakes or possibly even rats access the eggs? A rat snake, for example, could swallow eggs whole, so no traces would be left.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't know where you are located so I don't know what potential egg eating predators are where you are. Lots of critters like eggs. Most leave traces, like egg shells or wet spots. In the US typical critters that take eggs and don't leave a trace or snakes, canines, and humans. Other countries and other continents may have others.

If it is warm enough for snakes to be out that is a possibility. I once had a 5' long rat snake eat 4 eggs out from under a broody hen, disappear for a few days while it digested them, then it came back for more. If a snake took five eggs it was probably a pretty good sized snake.

Many canines like fox or coyote would probably be more interested in the hens than the eggs but a dog will often eat eggs but leave the chickens alone. Does a dog have access?

A human doesn't have to be a thief. Some people play practical jokes.

If you are in Africa, Australia, South America, Europe, or other places you may have other suspects.

For 5 eggs to disappear like that I really don't think it was your chickens. And they left 2 behind. To me that sounds like a snake more than anything else.

So what can you do. Lock them in the coop or coop and run for a few days and see if that locks out an egg eater. Maybe set up a trail camera and see if you can catch the critter on camera. Check the nest closely to try to find bits of egg shell or wet spots. Since you know the eggs were there and something took them I can't really come up with anything else.

 

[Mya05]

I would suspect a eating the eggs. Also, if they are free range, or have a large fenced area they can roam, they could have moved the eggs. We have a hen that will move all the eggs into our old shed. No idea why She doesn't sit on them. Thankfully, she doesn't crack any during transport, but for some reason she decided all the eggs belong in one nest in our old shed. It's on the opposite side of the yard from the coup, so I am thankful and amazed she hasn't accidentally cracked any eggs yet.

 

[Samsunmike]

Definitely yes on the oyster shell...but there may be other egg eating culprits. Could have snakes or possibly even rats access the eggs? A rat snake, for example, could swallow eggs whole, so no traces would be left.

Thank you for your reply. I can't discard rats or snakes, but I live on the Black Sea area of Turkey & I think the weather is still too cold for snakes. I have seen a couple of small grass snakes here, but the weather was a lot warmer. As for rats, I've never seen one here. There are lots of cats about & they catch the occasional field mouse & mole. I crushed some eggshells & gave them it. I kept looking in on the chickens today & I collected 3 eggs as soon as they were laid.

 

[Samsunmike]

I don't know where you are located so I don't know what potential egg eating predators are where you are. Lots of critters like eggs. Most leave traces, like egg shells or wet spots. In the US typical critters that take eggs and don't leave a trace or snakes, canines, and humans. Other countries and other continents may have others.

If it is warm enough for snakes to be out that is a possibility. I once had a 5' long rat snake eat 4 eggs out from under a broody hen, disappear for a few days while it digested them, then it came back for more. If a snake took five eggs it was probably a pretty good sized snake.

Many canines like fox or coyote would probably be more interested in the hens than the eggs but a dog will often eat eggs but leave the chickens alone. Does a dog have access?

A human doesn't have to be a thief. Some people play practical jokes.

If you are in Africa, Australia, South America, Europe, or other places you may have other suspects.

For 5 eggs to disappear like that I really don't think it was your chickens. And they left 2 behind. To me that sounds like a snake more than anything else.

So what can you do. Lock them in the coop or coop and run for a few days and see if that locks out an egg eater. Maybe set up a trail camera and see if you can catch the critter on camera. Check the nest closely to try to find bits of egg shell or wet spots. Since you know the eggs were there and something took them I can't really come up with anythin

I don't know where you are located so I don't know what potential egg eating predators are where you are. Lots of critters like eggs. Most leave traces, like egg shells or wet spots. In the US typical critters that take eggs and don't leave a trace or snakes, canines, and humans. Other countries and other continents may have others.

If it is warm enough for snakes to be out that is a possibility. I once had a 5' long rat snake eat 4 eggs out from under a broody hen, disappear for a few days while it digested them, then it came back for more. If a snake took five eggs it was probably a pretty good sized snake.

Many canines like fox or coyote would probably be more interested in the hens than the eggs but a dog will often eat eggs but leave the chickens alone. Does a dog have access?

A human doesn't have to be a thief. Some people play practical jokes.

If you are in Africa, Australia, South America, Europe, or other places you may have other suspects.

For 5 eggs to disappear like that I really don't think it was your chickens. And they left 2 behind. To me that sounds like a snake more than anything else.

So what can you do. Lock them in the coop or coop and run for a few days and see if that locks out an egg eater. Maybe set up a trail camera and see if you can catch the critter on camera. Check the nest closely to try to find bits of egg shell or wet spots. Since you know the eggs were there and something took them I can't really come up with anything else.

Thank you for your reply. I can't discard rats or snakes, but I live on the Black Sea area of Turkey & I think the weather is still too cold for snakes. I have seen a couple of small grass snakes here, but the weather was a lot warmer. If my wife saw a 5' long snake she would want to be selling the house . There's no way a fox or dog could get into the coop & run, the whole area is closed with 1" wire netting. As for rats, I've never seen one here. There are lots of cats about & they catch the occasional field mouse & mole. I crushed some eggshells & gave them it. I kept looking in on the chickens today & I collected 3 eggs as soon as they were laid.

 

[Samsunmike]

I would suspect a eating the eggs. Also, if they are free range, or have a large fenced area they can roam, they could have moved the eggs. We have a hen that will move all the eggs into our old shed. No idea why She doesn't sit on them. Thankfully, she doesn't crack any during transport, but for some reason she decided all the eggs belong in one nest in our old shed. It's on the opposite side of the yard from the coup, so I am thankful and amazed she hasn't accidentally cracked any eggs yet.

Thank you for your reply.

 

[PepsiCatt]

is there any yolk on the ground near the eggs? if not, its a snek

 

[Samsunmike]

is there any yolk on the ground near the eggs? if not, its a snek

Thank you for your reply. I didn't see any yolk or shell fragments.I think it's still too cold for snakes where I live. Also, as someone else replied, it would have to be a big snake to swallow 5 eggs & then get out of the coop. I've looked around the coop & run & there are no big holes.