Who is the egg robber?

[ColoradoChicks]

I have two broody hens in my small goat shed. Their nesting boxes are on the storage side of the shed, where the goats and alpaca can't reach, but the hens can fly over the gate.

Twice now I have found eggs from one of the nesting boxes on the floor on the animal-only side of the shed and tonight I found one in the shed and one outside on the ground.

How are they getting there? I have one weird hen that seems to be stalking the broody girls. Can a hen tuck eggs under her wing and move them 15 feet?

The broody hen was sitting on a wet mess, but not a single piece of a shell. The broken egg in the shed had an embryo, but the broken egg outside was totally dry.

I am so confused. The alpaca spend much of their time in the shed. I can't imagine some predator crawling over them to get to the nesting boxes, but maybe so? But how do they move the eggs?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[supera]

Sounds like rats may be your culprit. Just had them raid a turkey nest one day before hatch. They can move the eggs or sometimes cut a hole in side of egg and drain it , leaving an empty shell

 

[ColoradoChicks]

Well, I guess that is a possibility, but I've never seen one. Mice, yes...rats, no. The nesting boxes are over 3' off the ground and there's no lip. The eggs got moved up an over a 5' wall or gate to get into the other side of the shed where I found them. The eggs literally must be carried, can't be rolled.

 

[Binki]

I don't think a rat would just leave them around, they would bring them to a secluded spot and eat them up

This seems more malicious/mischievous... I would think its not a predator but rather a territorial hen bumping them out, maybe the goats kick them around, or maybe the goats are jumping up there !!

Possibly they are getting knocked off by accident? What if you have a border/wall around the nest?

I guess you could see if your goats can get in there if you bring a treat and place it near the nests? Hehe I don't know! Just doesn't seem like a predator to me

 

[CluckerCottage]

Get a coop cam set up so you'll know for sure what's going on.

 

[Binki]

Great idea CluckerCottage I'm curious!!

 

[ColoradoChicks]

The goats have no access to the nesting boxes. While they are quite mischievous, it's not them! I don't think it's a predator either. My money is on an incredibly smart hen with sticky wings

 

[ColoradoChicks]

I would love to, but funds are not available. I've moved one broody girl to the garage, the one who has had the eggs stolen. The other girl won't budge. Time will tell!