I haven't seen snakes big enough to eat them often around here (and when I do it's very rare). We don't have rats, so that shouldn't be the cause. We do have mice though (can they eat an egg?) and squirrels. Both of those though couldn't eat a whole egg though. Have you witnessed them eating eggs? or leaving evidence of that happening? Fascinating that they'd be more inclined to take eggs from under a broody than not.
No! It was Miss Plum in the kitchen with whatever was handy ... she makes a mean plum pudding, ya know!I know!
It was Col. Mustard in the chicken library with an egg busting candlestick!
Mice would most likely roll it a way, a racoon could just carry it off as well as a skunk of they aren't protected
If there's a way to set up a dog kennel in the coop, that would work. She's not going very far from that nest, so it doesn't need to be too large, just big enough for her nest, food, water and a place to stretch her legs and relieve herself.
There is some risk she will be pissed about being moved, but if you cancarefully put the bucket in the kennel and when she comes back and gets on them, shut the door and move her is may mitigate it, I would watch closely though, if it upsets her to much put it back the way she was.
.
