egg eating

[Nimueh Alene]

How can you tell if your chickens are eating their eggs? My SF were laying 3-4 tiny eggs a week. Than it stopped. I had one egg in the nest box that I was going to grab before the grocery store run. Than bam it's gone when I get back. I have 1 rooster and 3 hens in that pen.

 

[Jessica Thompson]

Oh I know it rats. rats killed my chicks and took my eggs it was awful if the chickens were eating them then you would find shell and yolk everywere and your chickens would have it all over them

 

[Embuck]

I'd check their beaks for a shiny coating. You can also see if there's any dried egg on their feet, or check outside the next box for shiny tracks. Have you ruled out the possibility of snakes, skunks, rats, squirrels, and so on?

 

[aart]

How can you tell if your chickens are eating their eggs? My SF were laying 3-4 tiny eggs a week. Than it stopped. I had one egg in the nest box that I was going to grab before the grocery store run. Than bam it's gone when I get back. I have 1 rooster and 3 hens in that pen.

If it's the chickens eating the eggs there will likely be a mess in the nest bedding.
Sounds more like a predator...snake, rodent..something to small to kill birds but not to steal an egg.

 

[RollTideChicken]

If it's the chickens eating the eggs there will likely be a mess in the nest bedding.
Sounds more like a predator...snake, rodent..something to small to kill birds but not to steal an egg.

x2
I was thinking snake. My dad had a hen pecking/eating eggs and there was always something of the egg left in the nest.
It's atill warm in my part and snakes are still very much active right now.