Something fishy going on with our eggs

So I have found some eggs cracked open and eaten, with the shell left. I have also found them before whatever it is hasn't eaten them and brought them inside immediately. What do you think this could be? I really don't think it's the hens, and of it was, they wouldn't be sporatic would they?

If you have ever fed the hens something high in protein then they start craving protein and eating their eggs. I know it sounds crazy but I have had this experience too and it was in fact the hens.

I have egg eaters in my flock :evil: but usually they eat all of it, the only clues are white/yolk residue on the nest boxes and all over the remaining eggs with a few remaining eggs having a pea size hole or starburst crack pattern where a beak got it but didn't get it all the way open.

Now, it sounds like the same evidence a raccoon left behind in our coop (I assume raccoon b/c I saw it hanging out in the tree next to the coop... easily could have been a opossum I guess, but I didn't have a visual on one at the time). I found a couple egg shells and that had me on high alert, then one evening we had the door open and I heard them starting to fuss a bit, that's when I found the coon in the tree nearby... it had been several minutes by the time I made it out there, ample time for it to scurry away.

I am thinking a varmint like that. Because I have seen large scat in the coop, and I have never seen the chickens eating the eggs, and they have left me some. If it was them wouldn't they eat them every time? I only have 2 so it's not a huge mystery who does what when something of this sort happens......but if it's a coon or possum wouldn't they kill the hens?

macksmom98":19sxap0g said:

I am thinking a varmint like that. Because I have seen large scat in the coop, and I have never seen the chickens eating the eggs, and they have left me some. If it was them wouldn't they eat them every time? I only have 2 so it's not a huge mystery who does what when something of this sort happens......but if it's a coon or possum wouldn't they kill the hens?

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I don't know if the eggs pacified them enough or what, but whatever it was never messed with my hens (thank goodness!)

Yeah we had a problem with something killing them last fall, but then I put them in a dog crate at night for a few months and whatever it was SUPPOSEDLY left. Now I am wondering if this is the culprit again or someone new......

Raccoons are evil (well, perhaps just strong, clever, determined and greedy) but i would have expected it to get the hens as well as the eggs.

They are easily spooked by any changes in the area though so if you change things often, like I do, then you might only loose eggs once they get use to the changes.

I had egg eaters once and sorted that with china eggs. Three to each nest box so every time the hen tried to bash a fresh egg she usually got a hard one instead of one she could break open. Only a few days later the problem was solved and they never tried again.

Perhaps a VERY large live trap baited with eggs might solve your mystery? But not a raccoon trap, they are too small for adult raccoons. No idea who decided that adult raccoons would fit in the size trap that is sold for them but they not only never saw one but were great salespersons as well because they are ALL too small! :evil:

Rats love eggs, baby chicks too. Last year rats were raiding the heck out of my nest boxes until I set up snap traps and live rat-sized traps (some were too smart for the snap traps but not for live traps baited with eggs).

The live trap literally scared a whole litter of baby rats out of one of my catches V
(chickens, in turn, love pinkies)

Deer Heart":1mwl9q1k said:

Rats love eggs, baby chicks too. Last year rats were raiding the heck out of my nest boxes until I set up snap traps and live rat-sized traps (some were too smart for the snap traps but not for live traps baited with eggs).

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Babies?? In the trap??? :shock: I shudder to think about it....

heritage":32i4me20 said:

Deer Heart":32i4me20 said:

Rats love eggs, baby chicks too. Last year rats were raiding the heck out of my nest boxes until I set up snap traps and live rat-sized traps (some were too smart for the snap traps but not for live traps baited with eggs).

Click to expand...

Babies?? In the trap??? :shock: I shudder to think about it....

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Ducks apparently love pinkies more than chickens. My cayuga ran my hens off most of the pinkies then gobbled those things up whole.

Deer Heart":4ijqe19e said:

heritage":4ijqe19e said:

Deer Heart":4ijqe19e said:

Rats love eggs, baby chicks too. Last year rats were raiding the heck out of my nest boxes until I set up snap traps and live rat-sized traps (some were too smart for the snap traps but not for live traps baited with eggs).

Click to expand...

Babies?? In the trap??? :shock: I shudder to think about it....

Click to expand...

Ducks apparently love pinkies more than chickens. My cayuga ran my hens off most of the pinkies then gobbled those things up whole.

Click to expand...

Mmmmmm.... protein??

I agree with the