Fertilized Egg missing!

[cybermamma6]

Do chickens eat their own young if the shell of a fertilized egg gets cracked??
Or should I be more concerned of a predator getting into my chickens?

 

[carrlr]

Yes, if an egg gets cracked opened before a chick hatches, a hen can and will eat them.

 

[Niss]

Of the 8 that should be in the nest my hen is down to 5 (as of last night). Is she the culprit or might others sneak in when she's having her break time? Does she pick them or just eat anything that gets cracked? Two disappeared yeasterday, which is day 21--whould she eat them as they pip?

This is her first time, as well as mine.

 

[Ridgerunner]

They are living animals and anything can happen. It is possible the hen is eating them, but I would be very concerned about a snake. Usually a hen will leave some evidence, broken bits of shell or a soggy mess. A snake will eat a few and leave no evidence. I've had a black snake eat the eggs out from under a broody, four eggs the first visit and the remaining two the second.

 

[Niss]

My broody is in a wire rabbit cage, which I did have open part of the day...so, yeah, I guess that could be it. Will a snake hang out? I think it would be conspicuois when going in and out the cage door, so might it still be in there under bedding? A snake with an egg in the tract wouldn't fit though the cage. Poor Wiggins, I don't know what to do with her if these buggers don't hatch, and at this rate I don't know how many will be left.

 

[Lil'ChickFarm]

I raise birds. If they are low on calcium, they will eat their eggs.
Try giving her some extra calcium/magnesium/D3 in her food or some crushed egg shells. Do this every day to build her calcium levels up, in case she is the one eating them. It won't hurt her to have it and can only help stop this if it is her.

 

[Flawedatdesign]

Well never under estimate a snake. It may swallow the egg whole but the do break inside of the snake. If you think it's a snake spread a small line of flour around the nest area if it's a snake it will leave a trail. Thats how you look for loose pet snakes or is how we did it.

 

[Niss]

I kept the cage locked and haven't lost anymore.