Migrating eggs?

[dgriffi3]

Crazy question. A few weeks back my neighbor told me he found a pile of egg shells in his back yard that looked like our eggs. I thought maybe my kids had left some outside after gather them and a raccoon or something carried them off—totally possible. But my kids have been more careful since then, and now a different neighbor has found what appears to be an in tact chicken egg, looks like ours, in her yard! No evidence of anything getting into our coop, and our girls are never out unsupervised. Is there a kind of pest that steals eggs without harming hens or eating the eggs right away? We definitely have snakes, but nothings ever bothered the hens and it’s a really secure run and coop. Thanks!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

It could be a scavenger bird

 

[EggSighted4Life]

it’s a really secure run and coop.

Photos for assessment, please? So we can see what YOUR version of "really secure" is.

Raccoons can reach through wires to steal eggs. Rats are notorious. Skunks, opossum. Many will leave the hens unharmed until there's not enough to eat.

Raven, crow.. definite thieves... but you say your set up is secure.

Seeing you're in Florida... you surely have lots of possibilities of who done it! Hope your birds continue to stay safe!

 

[dgriffi3]

Well, I'm about 4 months late (!) but I thought I'd update in case anyone wanted to know how this mystery turned out!

This is my run and coop--although now it is also surrounded by an electric fence, and the run door has been replaced so it no longer has a cinder block on top.

I'm pretty sure the culprit was...my kids! They love to gather the eggs, but they also love to play outside and are easily distracted. So once or twice I discovered that they had left eggs out in our yard. My best guess is that a raccoon or some other creature carried them into the neighbor's yard for a snack?