Something is stealing my eggs!

[PtldChick]

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X2!!!!!

 

[kara_leigh]

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Yeah, we already had to get rid of her littermate b/c he was trying to do that, so I guess we should consider ourselves lucky, but I just hope we can break her of this. She is an Australian Shepherd mix, and is pretty obedient, but we'll see....

 

[baw4000]

I am having this same problem actually with my ducks though. A skunk is stealing my eggs and yours probably aswell. To find out if your havent fixed your problem yet put sand on the ground aroun the coop and what ever it is will leave tracks then just get the appropiate have a heart trap and catch the problem animal.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

My dog is an egg sucker too, and its admittedly my own fault. Whenever I have dirty eggs, I give them to him. He gobbles them up (shell and all) without hesitation. He's had the most beautiful glossy coat since we got our chickens. Our birds used to free range all the time (they had no run, just a coop) and we thought we were doing something wrong since we weren't getting any eggs. Then I would find one or two with egg gunk on them. One day I caught Mick (the dog) going into the chicken coop. I snuck out there and watched him pull almost a dozen eggs from the nesting boxes and gobble them right up. We put a dog proof run in the same weekend and denied him access to the coop. I get all of my eggs now, and he's back to getting only the dirty ones. Greedy dog.....good luck!

 

[slangley42]

Hello, my name is Shane. I am a new member. Lately we (my Dad and I) are getting lower production, but after several days of this we are starting to think something is stealing the eggs. We have 7 hens that lay 5-7 eggs everyday. It has been really cold and snowy the past 2 weeks here in Central Ohio, yet they have always managed to lay the same amount each day. Maybe 3 eggs in the AM and another 2 or 3 or 4 eggs in the PM. Even with the cold, 4 or 5 would be the minimum per day. After reading the other stories here, I think I can rule out snakes, given the severe cold lately. Also I think I can rule out opossum and raccoon sized animals because we have a coop built from a kit we got off ebay with 6 nesting boxes. It has one ramp going in from the chicken run which is about 7 feet long by 3 feet wide and wrapped in chicken wire on the sides and top and that green garden fencing wire (that tomato plants can climb up) around the sides for an added layer of protection. The holes are just big enough for the hens to drink from their heated water bowl. So it isn't other birds, too cold for snakes, not enough space for coons and possums to fit thru, so I guess maybe a rat? By the way nothing messes with the chickens, they are fine. I am puzzled. I am about to consider buying a camera like mentioned earlier. This is also our first winter having chickens, so I have never had to deal with this before. Thanks for any help and ideas!!!

 

[Cluckies]

Yeah, we already had to get rid of her littermate b/c he was trying to do that, so I guess we should consider ourselves lucky, but I just hope we can break her of this. She is an Australian Shepherd mix, and is pretty obedient, but we'll see....

Can you make the chicken door too small for her to get in, but big enough for the chickens? I have an aussie, he just eats the poo, but he cannot get in the chicken door.