My broody's eggs vanished overnight?!? We are truly baffled..... Ideas?

[Blueeyez]

So, I have a large dog kennel, the hard plastic kind with air slots in the upper part of the sides and a metal gate with 1in squares. I always use it for broody hens so they can sit on there eggs in a safe place until they hatch and grow big enough to go back with the rest of t he flock. Anyways, we've done this LOTS of times without a hitch. At night we wrap a tarp over the kennel for added safety. Well, to our amazment, this morning our hen's 7 eggs have vanished. Not a trace of egg or shell or foul play (no pun intended lol). My first though was "snake".... But after a little thought I realized that couldn't possibly be it, my father is a reptile expert and I have worked with snakes my entire life and so with my experience and knowledge about snakes I know a snake eating 7 large eggs in one setting would fairly unlikely, but certainly still possible. BUT it would be absolutely 100% NOT possible for a snake to then squeeze back through a 1in gap full of 7 eggs unless he has many hours to digest them and there was simply not enough time between when I checked on her last night and when I discovered the eggs were missing this morning. Sooooooo where the heck did her eggs go? Any thoughts? Because we are truly baffled at this point.....

 

[Dottie the Chicken]

No wet bedding or anything? Could she have eaten them? Are you sure they were still under her last night?

 

[Acre4Me]

Human predator? Poor practical joke?

 

[Mylied]

Can an egg fit out of the bars? Racoons steal eggs. I was thinking snake too but you're the one seeing the cage. She could've ate them but I'd think there would be evidence. Strange.

 

[Blueeyez]

I truly am leaning toward human in all seriousness... lol beause I am absolutely 100% positive she had them last night, my 12yo daughter even reminded me there was definitely 7 eggs under her last night because she had counted them as she checked to be sure she had them all tucked under her. we dug through the little hay bit of hay we have in there and absolutely no evidence of egg eating because not a trace of egg or shell whatsoever.... and every gap in the cage is far to small for an intact egg to even stand a chance at making it through. The only way I can see the eggs getting through this cage would be an open door and I'm sure there are creature capable of opening the door but I can't think of any that would manage to shut the door back after steeling the eggs other than a person lol I know it's crazy times but surly my neighbors would just come talk to me if they wanted some eggs? lol my neighbor closest to my chicken coop does have a couple teenagers and don't exactly keep a close eye on what there kids are getting into so maybe teenagers? Looks like I need to just set up the motion camera tonight and maybe I'll get to the bottom of this vanishing egg mystery lol

 

[Mylied]

I truly am leaning toward human in all seriousness... lol beause I am absolutely 100% positive she had them last night, my 12yo daughter even reminded me there was definitely 7 eggs under her last night because she had counted them as she checked to be sure she had them all tucked under her. we dug through the little hay bit of hay we have in there and absolutely no evidence of egg eating because not a trace of egg or shell whatsoever.... and every gap in the cage is far to small for an intact egg to even stand a chance at making it through. The only way I can see the eggs getting through this cage would be an open door and I'm sure there are creature capable of opening the door but I can't think of any that would manage to shut the door back after steeling the eggs other than a person lol I know it's crazy times but surly my neighbors would just come talk to me if they wanted some eggs? lol my neighbor closest to my chicken coop does have a couple teenagers and don't exactly keep a close eye on what there kids are getting into so maybe teenagers? Looks like I need to just set up the motion camera tonight and maybe I'll get to the bottom of this vanishing egg mystery lol

That is so mysterious. I've had eggs disappear but there were ways for snakes and stuff to get in. Won't they have an unpleasant surprise when they crack open an egg for breakfast.

 

[troyle]

I'm leaning toward those teenagers since there is nothing else that could have done it. Owl's do attack at night and might have gotten ur eggs somehow?