Strange egg movement

[Ahoragi]

Something unusual happened today. I let the chickens out at 6 this morning to free roam in the 3 runs we have connected together. Our 16 chickens usually lay all morning and done by noon. We have one fake egg in each of the 6 nesting boxes. I went out there at 9am and there was an egg in the 3rd run, which is about 30 feet from the coop. Occasionally we find an egg out there as our layers are still learning (got them in March). What was strange is the egg was a fake egg covered in egg yolk. The box it came from had two eggs in it, one broken and the other fine.

We are scratching our head on how this fake egg (it is quite a big one) managed to end up 30 feet away. None of the chickens seemed stressed by any animal or pest. Two chickens were laying in the boxes next to the box with the broken egg.

Are they able to pick up an egg of this size and transport it all the way out there? It's not possible to roll it or kick it because there three high lips you have to step over to get to the 3rd run.

Any ideas?

 

[nuthatched]

Could be crows or squirrels

 

[Ridgerunner]

Eggs are sometimes moved by broody hens. Fake eggs or eggs that you know were laid somewhere else wind up in the broody hen's nest. If they want to, chickens can move eggs.

But I have another theory. It is possible when that egg broke the goop glued it to the hen's feathers and she carried it out there, where it fell off. You saw dried egg on the fake egg. How heavy was the fake egg? Some people use those light plastic Easter eggs. That would be more likely to stick on her that far than a heavy wooden or ceramic fake egg.

 

[Ahoragi]

It is a painted wooden egg. Weighs about the same as a normal egg. The egg liquid was still somewhat wet on it, just at the point of drying so maybe that happened.

We do have alot of squirrels here since we have hickory and walnut trees but I have yet to see them get close to the fences. Can't rule it out though. Not sure about crows. The access from coop run to middle run is a small 1 ft door and then another 1 ft door into the coop. The middle run has bird netting but 3rd run does not. That would have to be one brave crow to get through all that.