Eggs vanishing with no trace. Need ideas.

[janiedoe]

@aart is right. Get a minnow trap. Put an egg in it. They are cheap and they will trap snakes and rodents.
A game camera would be nice to have too.

 

[cmom]

Are your eggs still vanishing?

 

[aderenzo]

It sounds like a snake to me. You can make a trap for him using a minnow trap. Leave eggs inside and he won’t be able to get out.

 

[aderenzo]

I keep guineas with my chickens and have not had as much trouble with snakes since. I can’t handle finding a snake in my coop. I scream so loud the whole neighborhood is alerted

 

[HH.Wench]

Waiting a week to see if the plastic netting snags anything.

New twist - I was watching Ytube vids about various snakes and traps ppl mentioned here, and stumbled upon SQUIRRELS stealing eggs. This coop is right in the middle of some squirrels' territory and it never even dawned on me they could be doing it. Vids of them picking up whole eggs and running off and even killing pullets.

I sat and observed this morning during the time frame the eggs go poof, and sure enough the squirrels were all over in the pen, eating food scraps and crawling right over the mesh sides and top. It seems they've developed a morning schedule in there when no one is around. Around the time I wake up and head out, they move back into the woods. - Still could not observe anything actually going up the ramp inside...

Still no confirmation on what is stealing, after this week of the mesh snare, we're moving onto a live trap, then cams if need be. Will update.

Appreciate all the ideas.

 

[aart]

could not observe anything actually going up the ramp inside.

So your coop is open 24/7...and squirrels can get in to your run?

 

[HH.Wench]

So your coop is open 24/7...and squirrels can get in to your run?

No, its locked up at night. Coop has to be open during the day so hens can access it to lay, yes.

 

[Fishkeeper]

Oh, squirrels! I forgot about squirrels. Yeah, they're not as vegetarian as people think. Last week I saw a squirrel that had killed and was eating a small snake. They'll go after baby birds if they're especially hungry, and even tiny adult birds. I'm a little skeptical they'd kill entire adult hens, but I suppose it's possible- they are basically rats with balancing tails, after all. Sharp teeth and determination will go a long way.

 

[cmom]

I'm lucky. I have squirrels around but they don't bother the birds or get into their coops. Instead they ate the windshield washer tubing on hubby's truck which was a pain to replace. They also ate the cable TV wire. I'm surprised we got anything at all.

 

[aderenzo]

I’m having a similar problem. Missing eggs in the middle of the day and little teeth marks in my fake nest eggs. I set up a field camera to see for sure if it is squirrels. How do we stop it?