Predator eating eggs?

[bailey'smama]

I went out in my coop yesterday and found 4 eggs and yolk residue. It looks like something ate one egg but left hardly any evidence other than the small amount of yolk on the other eggs.......and it only ate one. What will do that? I'd like to be prepared for whatever I may meet in the coop!

Thanks!

 

[Dogfish]

Possums and many others are egg eaters.

 

[WilsonFarm528]

Yeah possoms, ferrets, raccoons, rats... Do you check your nesting box every day? You need to make sure any broken/partially eaten ones get removed as soon as possible so your hens dont eat the remains, or else your chickens will start breaking them and eating them on their own (if that isnt whats already happening). Just check your boxes daily (or 2x a day if you have the time) and then you might spot the critter or an egg-eating hen!

 

[clayhill]

So will chickens, are you sure you don't have an egg-eater? I have this happen occasionally, still haven't figured out who's doing it, but I'm sure it's one of my birds.

 

[yinepu]

Are you finding any empty shells?

A skunk will bite off just one end of the shell and lick the contents out..
a raccoon will usually bite the egg in half and leave shells behind

if there are no shells.. my first guess would be another chicken

 

[MiniBeesKnees]

I'd say snakes too...I have a big snake problem.
When there is yolk residue, it is usually a chicken that ate it.
When snakes get my eggs, they eat them all.

Terry in Tennessee

 

[bailey'smama]

I normally check my coop around 3 times a day, but I've been going out of town on day trips the last two days so it has only been once a day.......

There is just a little bit of egg residue, and none of the hens have ever eaten the eggs before. Is this something that they will just start doing out of the blue?

Online research suggested that it might also be a squirrel or a crow - any experience with either of those?

Also, Terry in Rickman, I live in Hilham! Howdy, neighbor!

 

[yinepu]

bailey'smama :

Online research suggested that it might also be a squirrel or a crow - any experience with either of those?

in my experience both squirrels and crows will leave shells behind

usually if all you find is a little bit of yolk.. its a chicken​

 

[bailey'smama]

Okay, so if I catch the guilty chicken red-feathered, can she be trained to stop or is it a hopeless case?

 

[Snowygirl]

egg eating is terrible. you should let them out and watch the hens that poke around the coop. sometimes they eat them because they are bored.......so hang up some old CDs in the coop for them to peck at.