Eggs gone missing or half eaten

[lilnuggets]

This past week I have noticed my mallard hasn't been laying ...or so I thought she has consistently laid an egg every day since last summer. 2 days ago I found a broken duck egg outside of the house/run area...the run and duck house are fully enclosed (no way to free range unless we open the door for them which we havent lately) so there is no way she laid it out there it looks like it was dropped from the way it was splattered on the ground. Today I found another splattered egg this one was in the duck run. The entire run has a layer of chicken wire over 2x4 inch welded wire except the door it is only the wleded wire(we haven't added the chicken wire yet). Any idea what animals would be stealing eggs? My mallard lays in the duck house or in a corner of the run depending on her mood. I live in southern Arizona. My chicken run and coop are right next too the ducks and nothing has taken their eggs but there coop is about 4 feet off the ground and they almost always lay in the nesting box in the coop. The top also has chicken wire so I know it's not a large bird like a hawk or something. Anyone have any idea what it could be or how to prevent eggs from being stolen? This is a first for me.

 

[Mary's Backyard Chickens]

Sometimes, skunks can get in and eat your eggs. Have your chicken's food been getting eaten faster than usual?

 

[lilnuggets]

Doesn't seem to be going any faster than normal but it has been a lot messier than normal... It's is all over the ground around the feeder which is not normal.

 

[Mary's Backyard Chickens]

Doesn't seem to be going any faster than normal but it has been a lot messier than normal... It's is all over the ground around the feeder which is not normal.

Minks, weasels or skunks could be getting into your food and eggs, and eating them. Has your chickens been injured at all?

 

[lilnuggets]

No injuries. I haven't seen many skunks or racoons our here. We do have a lot of minks/weasles. I didn't realize the liked eggs. Is there anyway to stop them or deter them from steeling eggs? That could very well be my issue because it would have to be something fairly small to get in the run.

 

[Mary's Backyard Chickens]

No injuries. I haven't seen many skunks or racoons our here. We do have a lot of minks/weasles. I didn't realize the liked eggs. Is there anyway to stop them or deter them from steeling eggs? That could very well be my issue because it would have to be something fairly small to get in the run.

I would say minks and weasels are getting into your coop. Try and use some more protection (electric fence, secure roof, yard dog.)

 

[Mary's Backyard Chickens]

Oh, and you can use a regular fence, just make sure they can't climb over and there's no holes under it

 

[lilnuggets]

I'll have to check for tunnels in the coop to see if they came in from under some how. We have dogs but we lock them in the house at night because of the coyotes and javelinas we have around our area. Seems like whatever is taking them is taking them pretty quick after they are laid I have been going out a few times a day to check for them and nothing will be there and then 2 hours later i find a splattered egg