What is eating my chicken eggs in the coop?

A chicken may begin eating their eggs if their calcium levels are low. Calcium deficiency causes a chicken to seek out a supplemental diet of egg shell. Chickens may also eat their eggs due to accidental discovery. If a chicken coop is crowded, a chicken can very easily break an egg.

Do rats steal and eat chicken eggs?

When rodents eat feed, they tend to defecate in it. Second, rats will eat eggs and kill young birds. Rats will generally only prey on chicks and eggs, but if you have a serious infestation and food is scarce, they can also raid your coop at night and attack your juvenile and adult birds.

What can you do to keep chickens from eating their eggs?

Top 10 Ways to Prevent or Break the Egg-Eating Habit

1. Make sure your chickens are getting enough protein.
2. Keep the eggshells strong.
3. Put a wooden egg or golf ball in the nesting box.
4. Fill an empty egg with English mustard.
5. Collect eggs frequently.
6. Provide a cushioned nesting box.
7. Keep nesting boxes dim/dark.

Can a rat steal an egg?

Rats will eat eggs and kill young chicks when they get the opportunity. When eggs are missing, it might be that another predator is stealing the eggs (such as foxes or birds). When the eggs are broken, and the contents are missing, the culprit is most likely rats or mice.

What animals will eat eggs?

Egg predation is found widely across the animal kingdom, including in insects such as ladybirds, annelids such as the leech Cystobranchus virginicus, fishes such as haddock, snakes such as colubrids, birds such as carrion crow and buzzard, and mammals such as red fox, badgers and pine martens.

How can you tell which chickens are eating eggs?

Identify egg-eating hens by looking for the presence of egg yolk on the beak or head. When you have identified an egg eater, trim 1/4 to 1/2 inch off the upper beak, making it difficult for the hen to break the shell of an egg.

Do squirrels eat chicken eggs?

Squirrels love eating chicken eggs and poultry feed, so collect eggs frequently and store feed in secure, preferably metal, storage cans for feed. In some cases Squirrels will kill chicks, so make sure any chicks brooded outside are in a very secure enclosure.

What animal steals chicken eggs?

Lots of animals will steal chicken eggs as they are yummy indeed. Racoons, dogs, coyotes, snakes, rats, birds – even chickens themselves will eat their own eggs if cracked. Eating the eggs is step 1.

What is stealing my chicken eggs?

Missing or damaged eggs may be caused by skunks, snakes, rats, opossums, raccoons, coyotes, foxes, blue jays, and crows. Foxes, skunks, opossums, jays, and crows often leave shells of consumed eggs behind.

Do rats eat chicken eggs?

Below: Rats will eat eggs, chicks and kill chickens, even full grown ones. Rats they tend to defecate and urinate wherever they are and that contaminates every surface they touch. The best way to deal with rats is to treat the problem with a multi pronged attack long before it becomes an infestation.

What animal steals chicken eggs and bury?

Foxes. Foxes generally carry eggs away from nests. They may then eat them or they will cache (bury) them for consumption later. The whole egg is taken in the mouth, crushed and the contents eaten.

How can I Stop my chickens from eating their eggs?

Other things you can do to put a stop to egg eating is to take steps to lower stress. Avoid bright lighting near the nesting boxes. Don’t disturb hens in the nests. Make sure you have enough space for each hen in the coop. Keep fresh feed and water available at all times.

What to do if your chickens are eating their eggs?

Feed your chickens a complete feed specifically designed for laying hens. If you feed hens eggshells for calcium, smash them to a powder so the chickens don’t associate them with the eggs. Collect eggs early. Collecting eggs early in the day leaves less time for breakage and egg eating.

Is it healthy for chicken to eat her own eggs?

To keep chickens from eating their own eggs, give them a well-balanced feed that’s at least 16\% protein with lots of vegetable fat. Along with a well-balanced feed, give your hens a dish of fresh milk every day to increase their calcium intake and produce eggs with stronger shells.

Why do chickens eat their own eggs?

Overcrowding. The first and biggest problem seem to be overcrowding among the chickens.

Lack of nest boxes. As we already mentioned above,the chickens need enough space and comfort so they can live and be productive as well.

Lack of water and hunger.

Unbalanced diet.

Boredom.

Too much light.

Stress.