Egg Thief's Moved to my chicken yard!

[FarmerBoy24]

This has been going on for about 3 weeks now. I have had a major drop in egg production and I know its not the hens. I have usually been getting 12-20 eggs a day now 4-8 if i am lucky! They may not be be laying as much due to the heat but i know not a full dozen less! I have tested my theory many times by leaving an egg in the coop and nest box and it "magicaly" disappear. last week I seen an egg in the corner of the coop ran inside for some reason came back it was gone!! Last night I candled some eggs and were about to toss the non-fertile ones till I thought about putting one of them on the ground outside. I done so, and this morning it was moved, and around 2:30 when I got home, it was gone!! Now they are begining to steal my FERTILE Lemon Cuckoo Orpingtion eggs! :O

I have seen a high number of squirrels around the yard and abandon fields this year so i am begging to think its them! I live in Southern California, in the City/Farm part of town if that can help any. What do you think it is and how can I get rid of them!!

Thanks!

 

[Moonkit]

You could try a stake out.. staying up all night to watch for the thief. Or you can set up a webcam to record overnight and find out who it is that way. Once the thief is identified.. you can take steps to prevent further thefts.

 

[herfrds]

Set up a game camera. Find out who the theives are first then go from there.

 

[FarmerBoy24]

I wish I could, but I cant. Not now anyways, and the stealing is going on during the day!

Lets just say it is the squirrels, what should I do?!?

 

[Rock Home Isle]

This has been going on for about 3 weeks now. I have had a major drop in egg production and I know its not the hens. I have usually been getting 12-20 eggs a day now 4-8 if i am lucky! They may not be be laying as much due to the heat but i know not a full dozen less! I have tested my theory many times by leaving an egg in the coop and nest box and it "magicaly" disappear. last week I seen an egg in the corner of the coop ran inside for some reason came back it was gone!! Last night I candled some eggs and were about to toss the non-fertile ones till I thought about putting one of them on the ground outside. I done so, and this morning it was moved, and around 2:30 when I got home, it was gone!! Now they are begining to steal my FERTILE Lemon Cuckoo Orpingtion eggs! :O

I have seen a high number of squirrels around the yard and abandon fields this year so i am begging to think its them! I live in Southern California, in the City/Farm part of town if that can help any. What do you think it is and how can I get rid of them!!

Thanks!

You really can't do anything until you know what it is that you are dealing with...get a trailcam and set it up so that it covers the hen house and the access points where your mystery suspect is entering the area. Give it a few days and you'll know what or who you are dealing with.

From there it should be easy to set up a game plan.

Keep us posted.

 

[FarmerBoy24]

Okay! So I decided to take all of your advice and get a trail cam. I'm picking it up tomorrow!!

 

[The Lazy L]

Okay! So I decided to take all of your advice and get a trail cam. I'm picking it up tomorrow!!

Please let us know what you find.

 

[flewdacoop]

I almost bet its not the squirls but we shall see

 

[centrarchid]

First guess is juvenile oppossum that is small enough to get into egg area. Second is a racoon going after easy eats. Latter may be tuff to detect without direct observation and still be too small to catch in live-trap. Recently I had a sow raccoon coming in for nearly two weeks to take eggs only. Generally she took four eggs or so then went to pond for water and would not return until following night to repeat process. Same coon was trap wise and very difficult for dog to tree since she had access to heavy cover.

The tuff to detect without direct observation required me to go out muliple times during night with bright flashlite or use of dog.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Years ago, I spent a few months trying to figure out who our egg thief was...turned out to be my dog. Little Turdball....