What did this?

[RoyalCoopMom]

Did my hens do this or somebody else? Found this shell in the coop about 3 feet from nest boxes. Fake egg from box was in run another 15 ft away and egg yoke was in both nest box and on fake egg. I am thinking other varmint not the chickens b/c they tried to carry off the fake egg. I have never had chickens eat their eggs. Thoughts?

 

[nuthatched]

crows and ravens would steal my fake eggs abd carry off real ones if we didn't catch them. it looks like a big peck on that egg, I'd say crow or raven.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I am thinking other varmint not the chickens b/c they tried to carry off the fake egg.

Agreed. Depending on what ya got around and what time of day it happened... raccoons, oppossum, rats, crows, raven, monitor lizards, even my dog sometimes... though not usually fake ones she collects the real ones and brings to bed.

For me, it's hard to say if that's a peck or just just a break. Pics of your set up might help determine who the trespasser is. Many folks have to do things to deter crows... such as hanging CD's. I have only dealt with rats and it is similar, but usually only when not collected at night... and they left teeth marks on my fakes... even gnawing them, making it pretty clear in my case.

Best wishes stopping your culprit!

 

[RoyalCoopMom]

Pretty sure it is not a bird. The run and coop are fully enclosed under my deck. It happened between dawn and 10am the temps were right at freezing so probably not lizards or snakes They free range but I had not opened the run for them yet. I do have a crazy number of voles and chipmunks. Mice I have seen but not rats hope it's not rats! The egg they got was from my Golden Comet who is laying and molting at the same time right now so her shells are thin. Just got her egg today collected at 11:00 so no unwelcome guests today. I'm willing to share an egg now and then as long as they leave my girls alone!

 

[Henry&Friends]

I’d say that egg looks stepped on, especially since your hen is laying thin shelled eggs, but that wouldn’t explain why the fake egg was out of the nest...

 

[Folly's place]

Re check your coop and pen security! Any opening larger than 1/2" diameter will allow rats to be there, and they will eat eggs, and then kill chickens.
Thin shelled eggs will get broken easily, and then hens will eat them, but that's not why that fake egg moved. You have somebody else out there, not a good thing.
Mary

 

[quackersandfern]

could be your hen eating it, could also be a rat or another critter. I believe it is one of the possible predator signs, on the poultry predator identifier tool - http://www.poultrydvm.com/predator-identifier.php

 

[RoyalCoopMom]

If it happens again it might be time for a camera. Oh goody a new toy!

 

[cmom]

I love my cameras...