Eggs randomly breaking every few weeks?

[jermajay]

I have silkies and occasionally (maybe every 2-3 weeks) one will be broken - usually the bottom is intact and there's a large-ish hole in the top. Do you think this is one of the hens or maybe a rat? It only happens when I leave eggs in their nesting boxes, when I'm collecting them to incubate they're all intact. I thought crows because we do have a lot, but they'd have to go into the coop and I can't imagine them doing that.

TIA.

 

[JedJackson]

If it is the hens the culprit or culprits should have egg leavings on their beaks and faces, so check for that.

More probably it is either rats, mice or some type of bird. Jays especially are known for eating eggs but they are maybe too large to get into your coop?

If I was you I would either set up a trail cam by the nesting boxes or else watch the boxes very closely when you think it might happen again.

Good luck!

 

[jermajay]

If it is the hens the culprit or culprits should have egg leavings on their beaks and faces, so check for that.

More probably it is either rats, mice or some type of bird. Jays especially are known for eating eggs but they are maybe too large to get into your coop?

If I was you I would either set up a trail cam by the nesting boxes or else watch the boxes very closely when you think it might happen again.

Good luck!

I'll look next time one breaks, thank you! Rats does seem likely, there are a few holes under the walls where they could get in. Our coop is a repurposed shed so birds could definitely get in - but I close it at night and usually they break overnight. I'll try and get a trail cam, I wanted to get one anyway so I can check the door is shut without trekking up there at 2 in the morning every night.

 

[aart]

Are the eggs with holes particularly thin shelled?
If it was an egg eater, bird or rodent, there would be a big mess of egg all over the nest.

 

[jermajay]

Are the eggs with holes particularly thin shelled?
If it was an egg eater, bird or rodent, there would be a big mess of egg all over the nest.

All of the eggs have pretty thin shells, I need to get some oyster shells - there isn't a huge amount of mess though, just egg from where it leaked out. Do you think they're just breaking when they sit on them?

 

[aart]

Do you think they're just breaking when they sit on them?

Or when they step on them(toenail) or when they hit somewhere on the inside of nest.

 

[Wolfie2]

I have 10 hens. Don't get 10 eggs per day very often but they are usually laid in the same nest even though there are 5 nesting spots. Chicken preferences! I have a few broken/ cracked/holes in 'em eggs every week. At first thought they weren't getting enough calcium as I Occasionally get eggs that obviously have thin shells (and these get broken more often than the regular strength shells). But they have oyster shell free choice and they eat their shells, So I don't think that's the problem. So I think it's just the Chicken thing of them wanting to lay in the same nest. At least in my case.

 

[aart]

I have 10 hens. Don't get 10 eggs per day very often but they are usually laid in the same nest even though there are 5 nesting spots. Chicken preferences! I have a few broken/ cracked/holes in 'em eggs every week. At first thought they weren't getting enough calcium as I Occasionally get eggs that obviously have thin shells (and these get broken more often than the regular strength shells). But they have oyster shell free choice and they eat their shells, So I don't think that's the problem. So I think it's just the Chicken thing of them wanting to lay in the same nest. At least in my case.

A fake egg in each nest will help to spread the love.

 

[jermajay]

I have 10 hens. Don't get 10 eggs per day very often but they are usually laid in the same nest even though there are 5 nesting spots. Chicken preferences! I have a few broken/ cracked/holes in 'em eggs every week. At first thought they weren't getting enough calcium as I Occasionally get eggs that obviously have thin shells (and these get broken more often than the regular strength shells). But they have oyster shell free choice and they eat their shells, So I don't think that's the problem. So I think it's just the Chicken thing of them wanting to lay in the same nest. At least in my case.

The funny thing is they did used to all use the same nesting box - we had one raised up and they all wanted to lay in there - to the point where there would be two in there and one trying to shove her way in. I don't remember having a single broken egg. Once I moved that nesting box down (I would've put the others up high but there was only one platform) they've all spread out evenly, but now I'm getting broken eggs.

Now that I'm typing that out, it does seem likely something is getting them - maybe a pest that can't climb up high? Rats definitely can but perhaps something else? I have also seen the roos going in the nesting boxes, but they did that when it was raised too, so I don't think it's them.

Also confirmed that it's not a larger pest animal coming in - they've been locked up the past few weeks because of a dog coming around, and I just had one break the other day.

I'll probably start collecting their eggs soon because I don't think my last hen is going to go broody, so it'll become a non issue, but I will put some rat-sack out just in case. (safe from the chickens of course)

Thanks for all the help I'll get a trail cam before my next set of chicks, and I'll also seperate out the hens into smaller groups, so hopefully they won't overcrowd their nests as much. I've never had any success rat-proofing...anything, really, so if it is them I'll probably just cut my losses. Hopefully the ratsack will at least control them.