Eggs are going missing! From a Rabbit Hutch!

[vaderschic]

My hen stays in a rabbit hutch. I hadn't many eggs in the last week and a half and today I went out to feed, there was an egg in there, but left it, was going to get it later, to see if its fertile. Well, this afternoon I went out check the water (keep knocking it over) and the egg was gone! Its a rabbit hutch. The egg was in the nesting box/sleeping area. The front of the hutch has bars that are about 1 to 1 1/2 in. wide. What possibly could be happening to the eggs?

 

[redhen]

shes either eating it...OR a mouse/rat is getting in there and getting them....

 

[justusnak]

I would say she is eating them. Shame on her!!

 

[ranchhand]

It's the Easter Bunny! Takes a while to dye all those eggs, you know...

(sorry, couldn't resist)

In 16 years of raising hens, I have never seen one eat an egg unless the egg got broken somehow. You might have a rat, or maybe a snake. I have a rat snake under the house who steals eggs daily.

By the way,

!

 

[vaderschic]

I hope she's not eating them. There was no wet spot, like the egg broke. Will they eat them if they need calcium? or do they do that b/c of being bored? I dont think it's a rat or mouse b/c the cage bars are to small to fit an egg through. I set a live trap under the hutch with an egg as bait. We'll see what happens.

 

[MissPrissy]

Hens will indeed crack and eat their own eggs and the eggs of other hens. Why not? They are yummy and a great source of protein.

Look carefully around the beak for any traces of dried yolk.

 

[Granolamom]

Maybe she's blackmailing you: "Either you get me a friend, or you can't have any more of my eggs..."

 

[vaderschic]

Well, she does have a rooster friend.

I CAUGHT THE EASTER BUNNY TRYING TO STEAL MY EGGS!

I put a live trap out with an egg as bait. I just went out to check on things and saw a bunny by the trap. lol
Its to big to get in the trap cage, but it was funny!

 

[kartking22]

I have seen my own hens pecking at thier eggs, Reason being is that they were looking for either calcium or protien. Calcium would have been my guess because I let my chickens free range and they had more protien with bugs and worms. A bag of oyster shells stopped this with my hens.