Mystery eggs

[crooked stripe]

I have 3 BO's, 2 BA's and 4 EE hens now laying. I have been finding egg shells always broken under my deck. The egg shells are 200 feet away from my coop and are not the eggs from the above. The egg shells are light tan in color and the size of bantam eggs. This has been happening for about 3 weeks now and I have never seen what is laying them. I don't know of any other wild bird that lays eggs of this size and color in my area. There has been about 3 dozen in all. I did find one that was partially broken and it contained yoke and all like a normal egg. All the eggs have to be laid at night when no one is watching. Can anyone help me out here. I spend hours watching and have never been left a clue. I must add there is not another chicken within 2 miles. John

 

[jenjscott]

I don't know what your whole situation is, but I have a dog that will steal an egg if she gets a chance and carry it off to break it and eat it. I find shells in lots of different places if I leave the eggs where she can get to them.

 

[shawnm2639]

Do you have critters that might be stealing your chickens eggs? I didn't notice but do you have bantums? Raccoons, oppossums etc. might carry them that far before eating.

 

[talkturkey]

Could be a clutch of snake eggs? This is a pic of a corn snake clutch

 

[crooked stripe]

The eggs my chickens lay are brown and green so that option is out. No bantams around. I also thought about snake and turtle eggs but aren't the shells rubbery? From the size of the broken eggs it has to be a bird the size of a bantam or somewhat larger.

 

[cmom]

Could some critter be going into the nest boxes and steeling the eggs? I have never had a bird lay any later than 8pm. It only happened once. I always check the nest boxes when I tell my girls goodnight and turn on their electric fence.

 

[jenjscott]

How about some critter raiding somebody's garbage with storebought eggshells in it. Yes snake and turtle eggs are leathery.
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