The Mystery of the Missing Egg

[LikeTurkeys]

Hello everyone!
Four days ago I gave my broody 6 eggs to sit on. Yesterday I candled them and they were all developing great. Each egg is marked with a number 1 through 6. Today, after removing all the unmarked eggs, I find that number 2 is missing! I candle the unmarked eggs just to make sure (and even candled all the ones in the refrigerator) and they're all clean. What happened to egg number 2?
Thanks in advance!

 

[sealer39]

You accidentally ate it?

 

[LikeTurkeys]

At day 3? I don't think so.

 

[Pensmaster]

Other hens will really mess with the nest of a broody. Do you have an area where she can be by herself?

 

[Quackter]

Zoinks, Mr. Withers dress up as a rat and rolled it off to prevent the embryo inside from inheriting the haunted amusement park? Maybe the hen decided she couldn't keep it warm, or inadvertently broke it, and so she ate it?

 

[LikeTurkeys]

Other hens will really mess with the nest of a broody. Do you have an area where she can be by herself?

I've noticed. She is in a bucket nesting box, there is almost no room for other hens yet they still try to get themselves in. No, unfortunately I don't have a place where she can be by herself. Do you think the other hens broke it and ate it?

Maybe the hen decided she couldn't keep it warm, or inadvertently broke it, and so she ate it?

I don't know why she couldn't keep it warm; she doesn't have that many eggs. The latter I guess is possible, I thought there'd be more evidence though.

 

[Cryss]

Snake hiding in there somewher?

 

[Pensmaster]

I've noticed. She is in a bucket nesting box, there is almost no room for other hens yet they still try to get themselves in. No, unfortunately I don't have a place where she can be by herself. Do you think the other hens broke it and ate it?

I don't know why she couldn't keep it warm; she doesn't have that many eggs. The latter I guess is possible, I thought there'd be more evidence though.

They may have. It’s possible when she gets off nest to relieve herself and drink they get in and lay more eggs At that point anything can happen. My broody started with 12 nice shaped eggs and ended with 9 smaller eggs. I ending up taking them at day 18 and finished in incubator due to the amount of other hens in coop. 2 chicks were the result of that hatch.

 

[LikeTurkeys]

They may have. It’s possible when she gets off nest to relieve herself and drink they get in and lay more eggs At that point anything can happen. My broody started with 12 nice shaped eggs and ended with 9 smaller eggs. I ending up taking them at day 18 and finished in incubator due to the amount of other hens in coop. 2 chicks were the result of that hatch.

Then that's probably what happened. They must have done a good job cleaning it up with the shell and everything 'cause there was 0 evidence. Thanks everyone for your help!

 

[ShannonR]

Something ate it maybe?? I don't really know, honestly. For some reason things like snakes or rodents like eating eggs that a hen is setting on more than the unincubated sort. I've had this happen alot myself.