Someone ate an egg!

[patiencejoy1894]

Hello all!

I have three ladies. They're all young (born at the beginning of May) and our Wyandotte started laying a couple days after Christmas. We've been getting an egg a day since and she always lays in the nesting box. Today (and there's a snow storm happening so maybe that has something to do with it) not only did she lay on the floor of the coop, but also someone (whether it was her or one of the other two) ate the egg. Is this a problem? This is the first time this has happened. Why did she lay on the floor and why did it get eaten?

Thanks!
(PS just one more thing. Like I said, it's storming pretty good here. Should I keep their coop closed up? 50mph winds and snowing. I have their door closed now. Thoughts? And yes, I'm a new chicken owner

)

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Sometimes the eggs 'surprise' them and they lay from the roost, near the feed/water station, on the floor, etc -- or she may have been startled out of the nest box at the last minute - lots of possible reasons.
With it being outside of the nest box it may have been that it broke in the process of being laid/on impact with the floor and then was consumed - which is much less of an issue than if one of them purposefully pecked it open and then ate it. It also may have been broken accidentally and then eaten. Until/unless you notice it becoming a habit *or* you catch someone pecking into an egg, I wouldn't worry that much about it.

 

[patiencejoy1894]

Sometimes the eggs 'surprise' them and they lay from the roost, near the feed/water station, on the floor, etc -- or she may have been startled out of the nest box at the last minute - lots of possible reasons. 

With it being outside of the nest box it may have been that it broke in the process of being laid/on impact with the floor and then was consumed - which is much less of an issue than if one of them purposefully pecked it open and then ate it.  It also may have been broken accidentally and then eaten.  Until/unless you notice it becoming a habit *or* you catch someone pecking into an egg, I wouldn't worry that much about it.  

Yeah it couldn't have fallen out of the box because of the lip. But with the weather being blizzard conditions, and everyone cooped up inside (no pun intended) it's very possible someone pushed her out (especially the bossy one!!) thanks! I feel much better now!