What would hoard eggs?

[NicInNC]

So after catching 3 possums and a skunk this week, DH is finally raising the coop. He's got it about a foot off the ground now and just texted me a picture. There is a whole pile of eggs up under there and tons of feathers from the chickens that were killed. What would hoard eggs but not eat them?!

 

[akashia26]

don't know about a predator that will hoard them, but chickens will all lay in the same nest. and if none want to set they tend to pile up.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Hen chickens are the only animal that will hoard eggs. It is called stealing a nest.

It is in a hens' DNA to lay or incubate her eggs on the ground or earth. It is we humans who try to force our hens to lay at eye level because it makes it easier for our lazy butts to gather the eggs.

The moisture in dirt is very helpful in preserving the viability of eggs and the moisture in the Earth also helps the hen successfully hatch or pip her eggs.

 

[NicInNC]

The chickens couldn't fit up under there though. Where the eggs were, there was only about an inch between the eggs and the bottom of the coop. It's impossible.

 

[zazouse]

Skunks and possiums both will do this, i find a bunch of eggs in some old pipes i have here and there is always a skunk or possium involved.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

The chickens couldn't fit up under there though. Where the eggs were, there was only about an inch between the eggs and the bottom of the coop. It's impossible.

If chickens couldn't fit,, then neither could any larger predators.

 

[NicInNC]

They could through the tunnels all leading to the underneath of the coop. There are tunnels dug daily. I will fill them in and then the next day, there are just more.

 

[BillHoo]

Are they chicken eggs?

You may have a clutch of snake or lizard eggs

 

[BillHoo]

 

[NicInNC]

They are chicken eggs. DH just called me. He's still raising the coop higher and just dug through one of the tunnels. He said at the end of one, there's a nest built with feathers, straw, hair, etc. I bet it's a RAT! He went out there about a month ago and he said a huge rat took off out of the coop. I wonder if they would hoard eggs. I can't imagine them doing that, but who knows. I'll Google it later and update you if we find out what built the nest.