Turkey eggs disappearing!

[toto65]

I have a broody RP hen, she is in with another RP hen who is laying but does not show interest in sitting eggs. The second hen will lay in the nest with the broody one who is sitting on them. Every day or so there will be say 7 eggs, the next day 6 eggs, the next day 7 again and so on. Will they get rid of eggs that they think are no good? The oldest egg in the nest is 15 days today. anyone know if they will eat eggs they think are bad. There is no sign of a shell or anything.

 

[E-AK(TM)]

my hen had a few eggs and i saw two waaay outside the nest box and they were spoilt. They tend to kick out the eggs which are spoilt i think.

 

[ColbyNTX]

Chicken snake could also be your problem!

 

[chickenlover96]

they will kick the bad ones out

 

[jasonm11]

Quote:
X2 on the snake

 

[MissTurkey4]

We do not have chicken snakes but anytime their is multiple hens there will be eggs that are broken. Mine will eat shell and every drop if a egg is broken. I keep my broody hens away from everyone. Works much better that way.

 

[toto65]

What the heck is a chicken snake? I actually did find a broken egg this morning outside the nest, it must have been bad because it STUNK!

 

[ColbyNTX]

Quote:
This is a chicken snake and they are everywhere down here and all seem to be 4-6+ feet! They are a pain in the A*$! All my brooders have to be chicken snake proof!

http://www.houstonherp.com/TxRat.html

 

[toto65]

Thanks ColbyNTX, I don't think we have anything like that in Northern VT. THANKFULLY! I HATE snakes! Most we seem to have around here is garter snakes.

 

[Frosty]

We had rat snakes where I grew up in PA. I had one for a pet until it got loose. I didn't want to tell mom that it disappeared in the house but she found it in her sewing machine drawer...

From a PA herp site:

Eastern Rat Snake

Scientific Name: Pantherophis alleghaniensis
Size: 40 -101 in. (102-257 cm) in length
PA Status: Abundant

Habitat Type:
Meadows, old fields, farmland, open wooded areas. May be found under logs, boards, and other debris.

From what I gather, they are rare in VT. Notice the upper size on them... 101 in. is almost 8.5 feet. I think I met one that big once. It's head was over five feet up in a tree, the tail was laying on the ground, and it's body was curved around. But I don't remember them messing with the chickens or eggs. We just have Garter snakes here for the most part, and they are too small to eat an egg. I think the biggest that I have seen is 2 feet.​