Egg thief

[tn_artist]

Yesterday, I found a half of an eggshell in the yard, by a shrub. My first thought was that someone laid outside of the pen and now we have a egg eating chicken.
BUT when I went to collect the 8 eggs that were in the nest boxes, there were only five. I had left the eight there so my daughters could collect them. So, the egg came from inside the pen and the Shell was outside.
I know if it had been a snake, there would be no shell. The pen has two inch chicken wire and a few, very small spaces under the edges where they have dug away the dirt for a dust bath.
I know field mice/rats could be to blame, but would a squirrel do this? The only preditors in my area are hawks, opossum, raccoon and possibly someone's pet, but I think that's unlikely. All of those can not get in without tearing the wire. They would have to get out with the egg through the wire. All the gaps under the edges are to small for the eggs. The wire is intact. Any ideas?
(We do have lots of squirrels as we live in town)
Thanks for reading

 

[Rietta]

possumz….. They are actually very beneficial creatures. The can not get rabies (core body temp too low), are immune to snake venom and actually eat snakes. They have pouches like a kangaroo for their young.. are nomads traveling and rarely staying on one spot too long. They Eat LOADS of ticks and even eat rodents. Can be such pains lol, but benefits outweigh the risk. Trail cams are the best tools, I am betting on a squirrel, they steal wild bird eggs too.

 

[JadeFarms]

We don't have them in NC. Those can get pretty big can't they? Invasive?

They get 4 1/2 feet! They are invasive and not from here at all.

 

[tn_artist]

could be any of the land predators you mentioned even a squirrel, if you have a game cam I would be putting it in the coop or keeping the eggs gathered instead of leaving for someone else., that is better than a live trap in the coop to try and catch the critter

We will be collecting twice per day now. We don't need any more babies. We have a black rosecomb bantam sitting on a dozen eggs.

 

[cmom]

We will be collecting twice per day now. We don't need any more babies. We have a black rosecomb bantam sitting on a dozen eggs.

I love my game cameras. If you have one put it up and see how your egg got out of the coop. I had a rat infestation and put rat baits out in rat bait stations. Whole chunks of bait would come up missing. I put up a game camera and discovered what was taking the bait and with some research found out they are immune to it.

 

[tn_artist]

That's a possum.

I was on my phone and couldn't tell is was a possum. I see him now!

 

[JadeFarms]

Here in FL, we have tegus that suck the inside of the shell out. They are so annoying and invasive, but they sure are cute, I love reptiles, couldn’t stand to kill one.

 

[tn_artist]

Here in FL, we have tegus that suck the inside of the shell out. They are so annoying and invasive, but they sure are cute, I love reptiles, couldn’t stand to kill one.

We don't have them in NC. Those can get pretty big can't they? Invasive?

 

[slordaz]

could be any of the land predators you mentioned even a squirrel, if you have a game cam I would be putting it in the coop or keeping the eggs gathered instead of leaving for someone else., that is better than a live trap in the coop to try and catch the critter

 

[cmom]

Here in FL, we have tegus that suck the inside of the shell out. They are so annoying and invasive, but they sure are cute, I love reptiles, couldn’t stand to kill one.

I'm pretty sure they are found in South Florida. I live up by Ocala and we don't have them here.