Help! Missing Eggs?

[kris41]

So I need some help from you experts.

We have 13 hens and 2 roos and a bunch of youngsters who usually free range during the day. We usually were getting about a doz eggs a day. About a month ago, we started getting visits from a local fox and had lost a few chickens so we have started being much more careful about them being out alone (without a dog to help watchout for them).

So, a couple of weeks ago I went on vacation with my two daughters for a week and left hubby in charge of all the animals. Since he works and the dogs are in the house all day, the chickens had to spend their days in their coop and only got to free range in the evenings.

When I left, I had two broodies sitting on about 1 doz eggs each. Two of the eggs had hatched under one of the hens and the rest of them all looked good when I candled before I left.

So, fast-forward a couple of days.... I called home for an update. Hubby said that the new babies and all the broodies eggs were missing. No traces of shells of bodies anywhere. Also he was only getting one or two eggs a day.

When I got home, things returned to normal with them free ranging most of the day. The girls are no longer broody but I am only getting 2-3 eggs a day. I do have one barred rock girl who comes into our sunroom and lays her egg next to the kitchen window, right where I can see it from the kitchen.

So my question is, do you think someone is eating the eggs (still no traces of shell anywhere) or is it the heat getting to them (it has stopped raining finally and gotten much warmer) or something else.

Thanks so much for your help.

Kristie

 

[cmom]

I'm far from an expert but The trauma of the fox could have affected their laying as well as the heat. There are so many factors that can affect their laying. If a snake can get into a coop they swallow the eggs, shells and all. Once I saw one of my birds eat an egg and the shell.

 

[kris41]

Thanks. I hadn't thought of stress from the fox. I don't think it is a snake though. We don't have many up here. Maybe it's just too cold.

Kristie

 

[Ridgerunner]

You might check this site for clues.

Virginia Tech – Stopped Laying
http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2902/2902-1097/2902-1097.pdf

Stress can cause them to stop laying, whether from the heat, the fox, or the change in routine form free ranging to being shut up. If they lost daylight hours during being shut up or were stressed, they may have gone into molt. I'd consider molting a real possibility.

As far as the missing hens, chicks, and eggs, I'd strongly suspect the fox. If egg shells were left, the other chcikens would clean them up. I don't know if that is possible with your set-up.

Good luck!