Do you think their eating them?

[JenniferJoIN]

Our chickens have been giving us at least one egg a day pretty much since they started laying. Yesterday morning, one of my RIR was in the nest box when I went out to do the morning feeding, but when I get home last night, there was no egg!

I usually go out at 6:30 in the morning (before work) and get home from work around 5:30 or so.

Do you think they're eating them or do pullets/hens sometimes get in the nest box with nothing to 'give'?

 

[LinckHillPoultry]

Hens usually slow down on their laying in the winter months. It helps to have some type of light in the henhouse with them, that'll help them kick it back into production. How many chickens do you have and how many nesting boxes do you have? Maybe build a couple more and give them a heating source.

 

[MissPrissy]

They will get in and out of the nest boxes all day long. I have seen some of mine there to lay and some just to nap.

You never can tell about the egg eating. Look for evidence. Anything on their beaks? Any yolk or sticky egg residue left any where?

They may just not be laying due to the winters shorter days and cold.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

If your not finding pieces of egg shell, yolk and anything sticky I'd say their not laying at the moment...just having a time out in winter...another thought maybe a predator taking them....

 

[MissPrissy]

Quote:
My biggest fear is a snake in the hen house! I know rats will eat them too but those don't scare me like snakes do.

 

[JenniferJoIN]

Quote:
My biggest fear is a snake in the hen house! I know rats will eat them too but those don't scare me like snakes do.

I agree! Snakes are just too... sneaky. Or something.

They have light from 6:30am until dark, so I don't think that's the issue. I haven't seen any egg-remains in the boxes, so I'm going to guess that they're just hopping in the nest boxes for the fun of it.

It's not nice of them to tease me!

Thanks everyone!