Eggs missing from under my little bantam. WHAT THE HECK?

[okiechick57]

So I go out to see how the only setting hen is doing.........well.first, yesterday....her own little egg goes missing....I doubt my mind as usual thinking I took it for some reason.......I had put 2 of my australorps eggs under her a day before.... now they are gone gone....no sign of anything.......snake? I can't imagine it was anything else, as no birds were gone or hurt or attacked,no sign of any illegal entry...............the Muscovies I own sleep in hen house with all of the bantams? could they take eggs? I just do not think it was them since no sign of egg shell or struggle.....now my poor little girl is sitting on nothing..looking so sad!

 

[davecash]

pribably a snake

 

[ozark hen]

oh, so sorry!! from everything I read on here it sounds like a snake. Poor thing.

 

[okiechick57]

thanks, I thought so.........how do I stop them? the henhouse is inside the run of course....but no wire and such to stop them once inside the run.......maybe another layer of protection on chicken/other wire? the holes are soooooo small , I did have to beat a bull snake out one day.it was so big, but it did squeeze itself right out the chicken wire as I was beating it.......... geesh......... maybe if she sets again I will bring her inside !

 

[ozark hen]

I have no doubt a snake could get through chicken wire. That stuff has few uses!! Definitely bring her in next time. change the wire and you know you will be pretty safe. At least give it a try.

 

[okiechick57]

SO..... thanks, what do you suggest aside from another layer of wire?and will they crawl up high to get in...meaning.do I need to do the whole run double up or with new layer of wire?and what kind of wire? I have some bird netting I could run across outside of entire bottom 1/2 of run.would that work?

 

[SpottedCrow]

Does sound like a snake had eggs for breakfast.
They CAN climb...how else do though huge pythons get way way up there in the forest?
Their tummy scales can act like little grabbers as they go up. The next time she sets, make sure that she's someplace safe. Even a cat carrier is good.
I keep trying to break Penny because I have no fertilized eggs for her to set on and I don't want to see her waste away for no reason.

 

[rufus]

Put some little light bulbs under the hen. Just about egg size. If it is a snake, he will try to eat them like an egg. They will be warm from the hen's body and smell like an egg.

Let the snake try and digest them.

On the other hand, you just may be dealing with a two legged predator.

Rufus

 

[Dawn419]

I'd recommend 1/2" hardware cloth if you can get it...snakes aren't going to squeeze through the 1/2" squares. The only thing that chicken wire is good for, is keeping chickens in, it doesn't keep anything predator out, at all.

Rufus suggested light bulbs...I would be afraid of the bulbs breaking which could turn into a nightmare if it was to break. Try golf balls, plastic Easter Eggs but definately NOT glass!

Dawn

 

[Nichole77]

That would be so cool to see the snake try digesting those things. If you do it keep us informed of what happens.