Pup raiding the nests

[prairie]

I put a golf ball in each chicken nest in the chicken house a few days ago and this evening I find two of them in the yard behind our kitchen porch. Apparently our pup (Miss Midnight the Black Lab) raided the nests and got a mouthful of golf ball. She chewed one in half!

She never bothers the chickens but I bet she has taken eggs before because some days I get no eggs, although I have never seen egg shells in the nests or any where around the chicken house.

We free range our chickens but the last week they have been locked up because they were making a nest out in the tractor shed. This afternoon was the first afternoon I had let them out because I had gathered all their eggs and only the golf balls were left in the nests.
Now to figure out how to break the dog from going to the nests.

 

[dainerra]

keep her out of the hen house. fence her or confine her or supervise her.
You could also take an egg, put some hot sauce inside and let her snack on that.

 

[The Kibble Goddess]

You're not finding any shells 'cause she's eating them. Even my 10 lb Malti-poo eats eggs by putting a whole one in his mouth, biting down, swallowing the yolk and whites and then chomping the shells. Eating the shells won't hurt them and the extra calcium is probably good for them. This is a self-rewarding behavour and I don't think you'll be able to train her out of eating eggs. Probably best and easiest to just keep her out of the nest boxes.

 

[prairie]

Thanks for the replies. Think we will keep just a little door open that she can't get through whenever we have the chickens out and free ranging. We live on a farm and our black labs keep coyotes and many other predators away from the house so we don't ever chain them up but the 14 month old is still learning her manners!! Guess she has a few more lessons to learn!