Egg stealers

[cmom]

Your dog carrier seems to be the place they want to lay their eggs. I would put it in their coop. Lately I have some birds that want to lay eggs under their nest boxes. All of my nest boxes are accessible from outside of the coops so that means I have to go in to get the eggs. I put some wire there but they moved the wire and still layed their eggs under the nest box so I put another larger piece of wire under the nest box. Today I'll see if they have moved it. Good luck and have fun...

 

[SurferchickinSB]

I hope this thread belongs in this section as it pertains to 3 egg stealers.
Here's the setup ….. I recently acquired an established flock of 1 rooster, and 8 hens. I have 3 sweet dogs that love to watch and protect the new arrivals. The hens apparently are (mostly) not laying in the nesting boxes, but stashing them outside somewhere, on their free range territory.

Although the hounds are forbidden in the coop, the dogs keep bringing me eggs they find hidden on their territory. They brought me 13 eggs yesterday alone, and ate at least 3 that I know of.

They are very docile K9s, and have very soft mouths, and only damaged a couple of the eggs, except the ones they ate of course !!!

Is this a problem, or a blessing ? I have no idea where the dogs are finding these eggs, but they are bringing most of them to me. I'm not sure if I should praise them, or punish them ?!?

Today I plan to carefully watch both the fowl, and the hounds to try to figure this out.

Here is a pic of the offenders, From left to right - Roobee, Juju, and Gomer …..
View attachment 2001352

Thanks for any comments, or tips in dealing with this situation.

Love your dogs! If it were me, I would give them a treat every time they brought me an egg and that way maybe they would just bring you the eggs and not eat any of them.

 

[ValerieJ]

Well, I might be off base here, but I think I would discourage the dogs bringing you eggs in their mouths. I would worry about uncleaned eggs in their mouth. Can a dog get salmonella? It's probably just me, but I am so finicky about the handling of our eggs. Hands are washed and sanitized after handling them, and yes, I wash my eggs, then store them in the frig. I know dogs can eat a lot of strange stuff when we're not looking, but I would discourage this.

 

[LizzzyJo]

Do the chickens seem to have a certain time of the day that they lay? I suppose they are pretty new for you to know this. But, if once you find their laying time you can always just free range them after the laying is over. That way they become accustomed to it.

My biggest concern is 1) that the snow and dog saliva is removing the bloom on the shell, so your eggs wont keep on the counter and you'll have to store them ALL in the fridge

and 2) errant eggs around the property attracts chicken eating predators that we DONT want around your free rangers

I agree to put the crate inside the coop if it fits or confine them for a week or more until they become accustomed to laying inside.

 

[LizzzyJo]

Well, I might be off base here, but I think I would discourage the dogs bringing you eggs in their mouths. I would worry about uncleaned eggs in their mouth. Can a dog get salmonella? It's probably just me, but I am so finicky about the handling of our eggs. Hands are washed and sanitized after handling them, and yes, I wash my eggs, then store them in the frig. I know dogs can eat a lot of strange stuff when we're not looking, but I would discourage this.

I had a chat with my vet about this because I was also concerned - he said that this is not a concern for dogs and backyard chickens. My dog is a german shepherd/border collie and he said that she can eat the egg whole without concern. He said that one every other day or so is healthy for a dog of her size.

 

[ariri30]

This is too cute!

 

[SurferchickinSB]

No offense taken !

In my defense, they do have a LOT of fur this time of year !

Lol!

 

[seminolewind]

Your dogs are beautiful and soooo shiny! Could they be so shiny from eating a healthy diet that includes eggs!

I have 3 big hens and 3 silkie roos living in one pen. Eggs were disappearing and I thought it was my imagination. Turns out it was a silkie roo! I raised the nests higher.

I think I would confine the hens to a pen or coop until they have all laid their eggs. I feel they need "retraining" on where to lay eggs.

 

[svh]

Thank you, I didn't factor in the chilly winter. They look super cute. Are they not border collies? I maybe wrong but they look quite similar to the said breed.

I am glad that you found your eluding eggs. Barred rocks is a breed that I like. In my opinion an ideal dual purpose breed. They are good layers, good foragers, they are not a nervous wreck, the hens occasionally go broody and the cockerels are ideal for caponizing.

They are actually Miniature American Eskimo, (circus dogs) sometime called a German Spitz, and Choclate Lab !!! Mom was a 20lb, pure white MAE, and the father was a 65lb CL. ​

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They are sibs from 3 different litters …. Juju, bitch, is from the first 1 pup litter, same parents as mentioned above. Roobee, bitch as well, same parents, but with a brother named Max, and here is where it becomes interesting …..​

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Max fathered, with his mother, Gomer, (yes inbred) who is the runt of a litter of 3. So Max is Gomers' father-brother-uncle !!! And his sisters are actually his aunts as well !!! ​

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These were "rescued" at weaning from the neighbor who obviously had no regard for his pets. I'll say no more on that !​

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Caponizing ! Had to look that one up ….. Yikes ! I can see the benefits though, as I have castrated hogs in the past. Don't believe I'll be goin there anytime soon !

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

That must be a seen to behold.

Probably looks like a clown car