Whole nest gone?

Broodybooty

Hatching
Mar 15, 2025
1
0
2
Hello all! I had a broody chicken who was sitting on a bounty of 14 eggs! She has been sitting on them for about a week. I came home today to find her nest completely empty and my hen was distressed. My flock has free roam of the yard, and she was off by herself when I found her nest empty. I'm trying to figure out what could have happened here! I live on Florida's space coast and we do have snakes, but I don't think there's a monster big enough to down 14 eggs in a single sitting around. Any ideas or input as to what could have happened to her whole nest?

**edited to add**

There were no shells left behind either!
 
Last edited:
I don't know of all of the different varments you have in Florida compared to up here in Wisconsin, but if that had happened here, I'd guess a rat, but also an opossum or raccoon would be next on my list.

1/2" hardware cloth can keep rats out, but if your setup is like ours, the coop is left open should the free-rangers want to go lay an egg. Thus, the varment has a way in and takes her eggs.

I would get a camera, like a deer cam or other outdoor camera to try find out what animal you're dealing with. Then you can get a trap for whichever it is.

I'd also get some solar motion lights for around the coop area. That will keep any nighttime lurkers back.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom