Is this a bird egg?

[ThatTeowonna]

Hello. About 2 weeks ago (15 days to be exact), I went to move a chicken coop, which was not being used, when I found this nest in it. The nest has at least 1 egg in the nesting box area… there may be another, I can’t tell. As you can see from the picture, the nest was created by a bird (I don’t think my hens would do that).

I’ve been watching the nest and haven’t seen anything coming to attend it. I have seen my chickens wander in there, scratching and dust bathing during free range time. But I’ve never seen them in the nesting box area where the nest is.

I’m trying to determine if this is a viable bird egg and leave the nest alone? Or is this a chicken egg by some weird chance. This looks more like a chicken egg than a bird egg… it is large - the size of a chicken egg… and it is white, like a chicken egg. The bird eggs I’ve seen are much smaller, colorful, and speckled. But here’s the thing… my chickens lay brown eggs. So what gives? I’m ready to use that coop. Should I wait longer for a bird to return? How long? Is it ok to get rid of the egg? What should I do with the egg?

 

[ThatTeowonna]

UPDATE: After 18 days, I decided to remove the nest and eggs… whatever kind they were. I had noticed a spider web around the eggs. Since it was undisturbed for several days, I knew nothing was attending the eggs. So it was time for the nest and eggs to go. As I started removing the nest, I heard a familiar thud as the eggs shifted. It was the undeniable thud of a wooden egg. Yes. Something had build a nest around 4 wooden eggs that I had used last year to “teach” my chickens where to lay. So there you have it. I wasted 18 days waiting for wooden eggs to hatch. That should give you a good chuckle for today.

 

[n2ocuda]

I'm not even convinced that IS a bird's nest, lol.. although, I have seen Wrens make a nest similar to this one, they often appear as a pile of junk. That said, I'm sort of wondering if that is a scavenger nest of some sort, like a rat, weasel(?)or some other animal that needed a place to bed down for the night, then left in a hurry & forgot its to go meal...
its possible the egg may have come from another source. Do you have any neighbors that have chickens? Perhaps they have white layers & a critter brought the egg to its nest? I really have no other clue..
There is no wild songbird that would lay an egg the size of a chicken's egg, not that I can think of anyway. So, it HAS to be a poultry egg, right? Also, candling is a good idea, you can handle eggs (& baby birds) without concern of alienating the parent, thats an old "husband's tale", lol... from my understanding, they don't have much of a sense of smell. You DO want to return it to the nest in the same position as it was originally in, as the attending parent will rotate the egg at regular intervals, so thats where you want to be careful with moving the egg too much. Some people will mark the egg in pencil which is the top or bottom & the direction of rotation if doing a manual incubation.
That certainly is a curious little set-up though, isn't it? Lol...
If it were me i probably would have just tossed it without too much thought, esp if you've seen no activity around it..
* this also just occurred to me.. is there a possibility its not a true "white" egg, but just a very pale brown egg?? There are some pale brown, almost "pink" looking shells sometimes.. just a thought...

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Says who?
If you haven't seen a bird tending to it it's probably not developing. I'd candle it to be sure.

It's a old wivestale that of you touch an egg/nest/chick, the parents will smell you and abandon it

 

[Isadora]

UPDATE: After 18 days, I decided to remove the nest and eggs… whatever kind they were. I had noticed a spider web around the eggs. Since it was undisturbed for several days, I knew nothing was attending the eggs. So it was time for the nest and eggs to go. As I started removing the nest, I heard a familiar thud as the eggs shifted. It was the undeniable thud of a wooden egg. Yes. Something had build a nest around 4 wooden eggs that I had used last year to “teach” my chickens where to lay. So there you have it. I wasted 18 days waiting for wooden eggs to hatch. That should give you a good chuckle for today.
View attachment 2790233

That is amazing

 

[ThatTeowonna]

Candle it in a dark room real quick.

I thought you we're supposed to touch bird eggs.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I thought you we're supposed to touch bird eggs.

The birds won’t abandon their babies if you touch them. That’s a myth.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Also this is an egg not a baby and it’s probably abandoned anyway.

 

[Kiki]

Candle it in a dark room real quick.

 

[Kiki]

I thought you we're supposed to touch bird eggs.

Says who?
If you haven't seen a bird tending to it it's probably not developing. I'd candle it to be sure.