The case of the Purloined Eggs

[mistfall]

Something is stealing eggs out of nest boxes that are up to 8 inches deep and could only be reached by climbing straight up a wall for 4 feet or jumping that far from the ground. Whatever’s doing it is leaving nothing behind - no broken shells, no bits of yolk or whites, so the thief must be carrying the whole egg off in its mouth.

The prime suspects are cats, which can reach the nest. Their mouths are too small to hold an egg, though, and if they scooped them out with their paws , the eggs would end up hitting the ground, and I think I’d find shell bits.

Suspect 2 is rats. They could climb but I’m not sure about carrying off a whole egg. The rats around my place are palm rats that are pretty small, as rats go.

Suspect 3 is mongooses. No idea how well they climb, but maybe they could get their mouths around an egg, since they’re able to bite chicken’s heads off.

No possibility of human culprits.

Any theories?

 

[Nats Chickens]

Nope. I would say maybe a fox? They are pretty agile? Other than that no clue.

 

[Banditschickens]

Snake's will swallow whole egg's.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

Where do yoy live? I have rat snakes which can climb vertically and love to eat eggs whole.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

It does not matter what critter is getting the eggs, what matters is how you react to it. I will never have this issue because nothing can get into my coop other than the chickens. If rats and cats and mongooses are able to get in then its just a matter of time before you lose more than a few eggs.

Gary

 

[Jjmanchester]

Possums love eggs. They will eat those before a chicken. A month ago on a cold night the chickens refused to go into coop. Found a huge male possum sleeping in the girls favorite box and no eggs. Needless to say we eliminated him.

 

[aart]

@mistfall where do you live?
Mongoose means not likely in the Americas.
I'd guess you have a snake taking your eggs.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

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