My Buff Orp hen has been setting for about 2 weeks. I have checked on her and examined her eggs everyday. I just came in from feeding and watering the flock and discovered she is off the nest and the eggs are missing. (she only had 2) I see no sign of the eggs or little bodies, but I believe they were still about a week from hatch time. The only obvious thing I can come up with is a snake got the eggs. Are there any other possibilities? Such as: 1) Could she or another chicken or duck have given up and eaten the eggs? 2) if they hatched would she have eaten the shells and possibly the bigger chickens killed the babies? 3) is is possible for her to have moved the eggs somewhere else, even over the 6-8 inch ledge of the nest box?

Our chickens run free in a 20x50 yard. They have a "house" with the nest boxes and for shelter, but we have been leaving the door open lately. The house is surrounded with layer of chicken wire and a layer of small square hardware wire over that. We've not seen any evidence of snakes in months. I realize this isn't the safest for the chickens and eggs. But short of building a wood structure for them, and locking them in at night I just don't know what else to do.

Thanks for any advise you can offer.

-- Devera Morgan (anatida@hotmail.com), October 21, 2001

Answers

My vote is for the snake. I had a hen setting on 10 eggs, and the next day ~ POOF they were gone. It had to be a snake, I think in my case the snake just ate the eggs right out from under her, because she was still setting there on the empty nest. We have also decided to lock our chickens in at night, not because of the snake, but because of other predators. Maybe you could just put some kind of small cage over her nest while she is setting, with small enough wire that a snake can't get through? That's my only suggestion, other than building them a house and locking them in at night.

-- Tracey in Alabama (trjlanier@cs.com), October 21, 2001.

I vote for the snake, also. No signs of the eggs, shell or egg goo is a dead give away. If the other chickens or ducks decided to go at it, you would be able to feel the moistness of the egg goo in the bottom of her nest. if she truely has been only setting for 2 wks, the chicks never hatched. 21 or so days after incubation is when they hatch.

Short of keeping a cat, not a lot you can do to deter snakes from your property. And it's likely the buggar will find some small opening to squeeze inside even if you do start keeping your coop locked up. You can try sprinkling sulfur around the perimeter. the sulfur will keep them out; however you gotta make sure he's out & not "sulfured" in.

Until he's caught and relocated he'll most likely steal an egg every now and then which you might not mind, considering he'll keep your mice/rat population at bay. as a matter of fact, it'd be nice if 1 took up residence in my barn (seeing new mouse holes!)

If you haven't caught the snake by the time your next chicken goes broody, i'd put her in a cage with narrow wire to protect her clutch from your new resident.

:-)

-- Buk Buk (bukabuk@hotmail.com), October 21, 2001.

My vote is also snake. They'll also take your chicks two or three at a time after the hatch if you don't get rid of them:(

-- mary (marylgarcia@aol.com), October 21, 2001.

Try filling a empty egg shell with salt, tape over the hole and put it in the nest.

-- Bruce Burdge (comfreybruce@richmond.com), October 22, 2001.

Thanks everyone. Now that I think on it, we've been missing quite a few eggs lately. I thought my girls were molting or something and taking a little time off. Guess I need to search for that snake! I don't mind it eating the eggs really, but I WANTED THOSE BABY BUFFS!

-- Devera Morgan (anatida@hotmail.com), October 22, 2001.