What's the deal? Where's my eggs?

[21hens-incharge]

Something that happened here.....
I had many layers and was getting lots of eggs. Then one day just three. After several weeks I told my family I thought someone was stealing my eggs.
Another month later and it was confirmed by bold tracks in the snow. First snow of the year and tracks straight up my drive, through the yard, through the gate and to my coop then back out.
I changed the latches that night and added keyed locks! TADA eggs galore the next day.

 

[FrankHomestead]

Something that happened here.....
I had many layers and was getting lots of eggs. Then one day just three. After several weeks I told my family I thought someone was stealing my eggs.
Another month later and it was confirmed by bold tracks in the snow. First snow of the year and tracks straight up my drive, through the yard, through the gate and to my coop then back out.
I changed the latches that night and added keyed locks! TADA eggs galore the next day.

Are you saying a PERSON was stealing them??

 

[21hens-incharge]

Yes! A human was stealing the eggs. Worst thing was they were putting my birds at risk.

I am in town so human traffic around here is a lot higher then in the country.
Still no excuse for that sort of thing.
Needless to say lockdown around here is pretty extreme after that. Even the motorcycles in the locked garage get fork locks put on when they are parked.

Mostly saying not to rule humans out.

 

[FrankHomestead]

Yes! A human was stealing the eggs. Worst thing was they were putting my birds at risk.

I am in town so human traffic around here is a lot higher then in the country.
Still no excuse for that sort of thing.
Needless to say lockdown around here is pretty extreme after that. Even the motorcycles in the locked garage get fork locks put on when they are parked.

Mostly saying not to rule humans out.

Wow, unbelievable!!!! I would be furious. you should've set up a camera to catch the scum so you could call the police on them before locking up. So, once you locked up did you see fresh footprints leading to the gate then angry footsteps leading back down the driveway?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Yes one other set of human tracks then quiet around here.

Funny thing is if they would have asked I likely would have gladly given.

 

[FrankHomestead]

I live in the city too and have 6 red stars 22 weeks 3 days still no eggs. I lock the coop but keep the keys right next to it (figuring a coon won't know which key unlocks it ) maybe I have the same problem you did...

 

[FrankHomestead]

Yes one other set of human tracks then quiet around here.

Funny thing is if they would have asked I likely would have gladly given.

It must have been someone who knows you, knows your setup. how would they know where your coop is and even where to collect the eggs??

 

[FrankHomestead]

Yes one other set of human tracks then quiet around here.

Funny thing is if they would have asked I likely would have gladly given.

That's crazy that they made that part of their nightly routine...shopping in your coop lol

 

[21hens-incharge]

22 weeks is still young. Yours will likely be laying within the next couple weeks.

Lol kinda hard to miss hearing nearly 30 birds singing the egg song. There is also an ally behind the yard so they may have spotted them from there then went to the easy access gate.

It was happening while we were at work. From the eggs I was getting they were heading to my coop around one pm.

 

[FrankHomestead]

22 weeks is still young. Yours will likely be laying within the next couple weeks.

Lol kinda hard to miss hearing nearly 30 birds singing the egg song. There is also an ally behind the yard so they may have spotted them from there then went to the easy access gate.

It was happening while we were at work. From the eggs I was getting they were heading to my coop around one pm.

Oh I gotcha. wow 30 in the City? man around here ppl turn you in for having a few and they have to get rid of them!! it's ridiculous, self sufficiency is a crime. we are moving to the country within the next 60 days, crossing my fingers every day I don't get busted before we move. that would royally suck...all the time and effort and money...and they get yanked right before they finally start laying
Do you have a pic of your setup? I would love to see it...I love cute little city homesteads