Predator help!

[PurpleDaze]

We found an egg on the other side of our chicken coop in between the wood fence and the coop. The nesting boxes are 20ft away from where the egg was found. Something had to have climbed up the side of the coop, went into the hen house, in the nesting box 20 ft away, and the walk through the coop and try to climb up the side of the coop again but dropped the egg. But left the chickens completely alone, in the middle of the day.

Any idea what it could have been? Rat, squirrel?

 

[Ruby Rogue]

If it's possible for something to have gotten in to do this, is it possible that your chickens could've gotten out and laid the egg there? It's never safe if things can get in and out of your coop.

 

[PurpleDaze]

If it's possible for something to have gotten in to do this, is it possible that your chickens could've gotten out and laid the egg there? It's never safe if things can get in and out of your coop.

There is a very small gap at the very top of the coop, where the rain gutter is. But there is only a 3 inch gap between the coop fencing and our wood fence, that are both 8 ft high. The only thing I think that could possibly fit is either a rat or squirrel. But I wasn't sure if anyone has actually seen it before.

 

[Chicks in VA]

i have had a possum fit through a 2 by 4 gap. If you have predator traps i would set them out side the coop at night and take them up in the morning

 

[Ruby Rogue]

A weasel or something like that could fit. A snake could fit, though I doubt it would carry off an egg. Can you cover this gap with hardware cloth or wood?

 

[PurpleDaze]

i have had a possum fit through a 2 by 4 gap. If you have predator traps i would set them out side the coop at night and take them up in the morning

Thank you, we will tonight.

 

[PurpleDaze]

A weasel or something like that could fit. A snake could fit, though I doubt it would carry off an egg. Can you cover this gap with hardware cloth or wood?

We are covering it tomorrow. I don't know if we have weasels, we live in Fort Worth Texas.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

We are covering it tomorrow. I don't know if we have weasels, we live in Fort Worth Texas.

Ok. Good luck.

 

[cmom]

I would invest in a game camera and see if there is anything lurking around your coop. I have several and love my cameras. Good luck...

 

[CLSranch]

I have heard of squirrels eating eggs. I'm not sure about it climbing and carrying. That maybe how it ended up on the ground, or you came out and he ran off leaving the egg.