Stolen eggs

[Doc1960]

I have a hen that has been sitting on 11 eggs. The only time she gets off the nest is to eat and drink. This is the time I inspect the nest for new eggs. That way I can remove new eggs! Yesterday same routine. Today when she got down there was only 1 eggs left under her. No predotors during the day because I was outside with dogs.no way a larger predator can get in. Only thing going in and out were other hens. The nest box is about 4 foot off the ground. I couldn’t see a snake getting 11 eggs out from under her at one time. So i was told another broody hen could have stolen them. Can they safely move them being off the ground? They are not in another nest in the hen house! Completely baffled! And no evidence of snakes. Regurgitated egg shells etc.

 

[DobieLover]

I have a hen that has been sitting on 11 eggs. The only time she gets off the nest is to eat and drink. This is the time I inspect the nest for new eggs. That way I can remove new eggs! Yesterday same routine. Today when she got down there was only 1 eggs left under her. No predotors during the day because I was outside with dogs.no way a larger predator can get in. Only thing going in and out were other hens. The nest box is about 4 foot off the ground. I couldn’t see a snake getting 11 eggs out from under her at one time. So i was told another broody hen could have stolen them. Can they safely move them being off the ground? They are not in another nest in the hen house! Completely baffled! And no evidence of snakes. Regurgitated egg shells etc.

Could a person have stolen the eggs? Maybe they didn't even realize a broody was setting them.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I had a 5' rat snake eat eggs out from under a broody hen. It took four eggs and went off to digest them, returning in a few days for more. I'd hate to imagine how big a snake would have to be to eat 11 at a time.

Other hens can move eggs but your broody is highly unlikely to just sit there while another hen takes her eggs. If one tried I'd expect eggs to be broken in that fight.

A canine can take eggs without leaving any evidence. Anything other than a dog would have probably taken the hen instead of the eggs so does a dog have access.

I think Dobie's guess of a human being a possibility may be a good one. I can't think of any other possibilities.

 

[Doc1960]

Could a person have stolen the eggs? Maybe they didn't even realize a broody was setting them.

Well I have wondered that, but if so they left another egg on another nest! Unless they wanted those knowing they could maybe transfer to a incubator to finish the hatching. But i don't really have any neighbors too close. but I do have some that are not too far that has chickens. Unless they wanted them to go underneath one of their hens that are broody. They would’ve had to went in there at night. And would of had to open the coop to go in there. I have a outside fenced in part and tgen the house. I close the henhouse up at night. So I’m just totally baffled

 

[Doc1960]

I had a 5' rat snake eat eggs out from under a broody hen. It took four eggs and went off to digest them, returning in a few days for more. I'd hate to imagine how big a snake would have to be to eat 11 at a time.

Other hens can move eggs but your broody is highly unlikely to just sit there while another hen takes her eggs. If one tried I'd expect eggs to be broken in that fight.

A canine can take eggs without leaving any evidence. Anything other than a dog would have probably taken the hen instead of the eggs so does a dog have access.

I think Dobie's guess of a human being a possibility may be a good one. I can't think of any other possibilities.

I Close up at night and we’re outside most the time during the day. I have dogs but they dont mess with chicken or eggs. 100% sure of that Because they’re Chihuahua size dogs and no way they’d be able to get up that high. they would’ve had to of climbed up at least 4 foot and it would’ve had to of probably been a big dog to do it. We are going to set up some game cameras just so I can see. I feel sorry for mama because she’s worked so hard. But on a good note it just so happens I put 12 eggs in the incubator and the same day is the day that she went broody. And she was sitting on several of other eggs that were laid in the same nest that same day so they were all due to hatch about the same time. So I might possibly be able to slide some of these eggs out of the incubator Under her but I just hate to do that not knowing what could’ve gotten them. She’s diligently still sitting on the one egg so I’m thinking of maybe waiting until it gets dark after her one hatches hopefully it will, and maybe slide some more under. Or move her and her one egg to a pen i can keep inside or safely somewhere and give her a few of the incubator eggs. I’m just not sure how the best way to handle this is.

 

[Ridgerunner]

When I start eggs under a broody hen I usually also start some eggs in the incubator. Usually about 12 to 15 total. Incubator eggs don't always hatch. Broody eggs don't always hatch. This way the broody will have chicks to raise.

Years ago I started eggs under a broody hen so they would hatch when my granddaughter was visiting. A thin-shelled egg broke in her nest and got on the other eggs, I lost them all. No hatch for my granddaughter. That's when I started setting the incubator when I start a broody.

I don't know how big that hen is or how big the eggs are. If she is a bantam and those are regular eggs you may be limited. But I've had a broody raise as many as 16 chicks in warm weather. The way I usually do it is slip the incubator chicks in with her and her chicks at night after they all hatch. The only time that did not work is when the hen hatched red chicks and a couple in the incubator were black. She accepted the incubator red chicks but not those black. Funny thing is that that was her second brood that year. Her first brood had both black and red chicks. They don't always make sense.

I'd really like to know what got those eggs before I gave her more to hatch. Or move her someplace safe. But the time that snake ate the eggs out from under my broody I gave her the incubator eggs to hatch and the snake did not get them. So I don't know.

 

[Doc1960]

When I start eggs under a broody hen I usually also start some eggs in the incubator. Usually about 12 to 15 total. Incubator eggs don't always hatch. Broody eggs don't always hatch. This way the broody will have chicks to raise.

Years ago I started eggs under a broody hen so they would hatch when my granddaughter was visiting. A thin-shelled egg broke in her nest and got on the other eggs, I lost them all. No hatch for my granddaughter. That's when I started setting the incubator when I start a broody.

I don't know how big that hen is or how big the eggs are. If she is a bantam and those are regular eggs you may be limited. But I've had a broody raise as many as 16 chicks in warm weather. The way I usually do it is slip the incubator chicks in with her and her chicks at night after they all hatch. The only time that did not work is when the hen hatched red chicks and a couple in the incubator were black. She accepted the incubator red chicks but not those black. Funny thing is that that was her second brood that year. Her first brood had both black and red chicks. They don't always make sense.

I'd really like to know what got those eggs before I gave her more to hatch. Or move her someplace safe. But the time that snake ate the eggs out from under my broody I gave her the incubator eggs to hatch and the snake did not get them. So I don't know.

Well those are my thoughts exactly I don’t want her to lose the one egg she’s sitting on and it might not be a fertile one. I need to candle it but I didn’t wanna stress her out. We have decided we are definitely working on a nursery for her. So we’re going to move her nest and all. Then I’m going to add some of the incubator eggs that are due to hatch at the same time. And I will also leaves some in the incubator to hatch and then we’ll slip those in with her and the other chicks at night. I definitely do not want to put any more eggs out there not knowing. All the eggs were what I would say were grade A large in size. But I looked at every one of those eggs yesterday before it was anywhere close to dark. I always do a count just to make sure another hen didn’t somehow or another sneak on the nest and lay with her in it. I have one hen that was sitting and the other hen was sitting on her back laying eggs. So the only Thing that I can think of would be possibly there is a mating pair of snakes somewhere and they came in together. I just don’t know. But like I said I just feel sorry for her because she has been diligent about sitting on those eggs being a good broody. So time will tell.

 

[McChooky]

You might want to get a game camera if your coop isn't predator proof. Snakes don't just eat eggs & chicks. They will also kill adult birds by swallowing their head ( suffocates them )They regurgitate the head if the body is too large to swallow.

 

[McChooky]

I Close up at night and we’re outside most the time during the day. I have dogs but they dont mess with chicken or eggs. 100% sure of that Because they’re Chihuahua size dogs and no way they’d be able to get up that high. they would’ve had to of climbed up at least 4 foot and it would’ve had to of probably been a big dog to do it. We are going to set up some game cameras just so I can see. I feel sorry for mama because she’s worked so hard. But on a good note it just so happens I put 12 eggs in the incubator and the same day is the day that she went broody. And she was sitting on several of other eggs that were laid in the same nest that same day so they were all due to hatch about the same time. So I might possibly be able to slide some of these eggs out of the incubator Under her but I just hate to do that not knowing what could’ve gotten them. She’s diligently still sitting on the one egg so I’m thinking of maybe waiting until it gets dark after her one hatches hopefully it will, and maybe slide some more under. Or move her and her one egg to a pen i can keep inside or safely somewhere and give her a few of the incubator eggs. I’m just not sure how the best way to handle this is.

I wouldn't put anymore eggs under her if you have snakes.They'll just eat her eggs or chicks once they hatch.