4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[hpops]

I have a broody pekin bantam that has been sitting on a fertilised egg for about 19 days - I marked the egg both horizontally and vertically all the way round so that I could identify which one it was. She has also been tucking the eggs my two other chickens have been laying under her - so she's sitting on about 5 eggs. The mystery is - the egg I marked has been there for 19 days - I've checked it regularly and then yesterday I went out and checked and it's gone!!!!!

 

Where has it gone??

 

The chicken run and coup has been shut and there are no signs of anything coming in or out, no shell - I can't work out what has happened - has anyone got any ideas???

 

Is she likely to have eaten it????

 

The markings I put on definitely haven't worn off as it would have happened gradually.

 

What could have happened?

[hils78]

Are you sure it didn't hatch & you have a chick hiding somewhere? I read on another forum they lost a chick & it was caught up in its mums knicker feathers!

[hpops]

No she's too tiny for that - and there was no shell?

[Egluntyne]

Oh dear.

 

What a shame.

 

I'm afraid it looks as if a predator has taken it.

[hpops]

Do you think? Can't see any sign of anything?? Do you think it's most likely a rat?

[stoice]

What did you mark it with? Was it water soluble? It's possible it's rubbed off. I'm sure

I've read that in particulary hot weather mums-to-be sometimes wet their feathers to control the egg temperature. Maybe it's that. Maybe it's worth counting your eggs before they've hatched just this once!!

[..lay a little egg for me]

What did you mark it with? Was it water soluble? It's possible it's rubbed off. I'm sure

I've read that in particulary hot weather mums-to-be sometimes wet their feathers to control the egg temperature. Maybe it's that. Maybe it's worth counting your eggs before they've hatched just this once!!

and candling them?

[hpops]

hmmmm - it was a very hot day when I checked it and the markings had dissapeared.

[Egluntyne]

So the other eggs are still there? Maybe your markings have worn off.

 

Why not candle all the ones you have collected. It might not be too late with it being so warm.

[Jamesw]

Well the chickn might of eaten it

 

onion

sage

Jamesw

[superjules]

Mine rubbed the pencil markings off when they were broody. I think it's unlikely a predator has pinched an egg and left the others, and there would be traces if it had broken.

[Egluntyne]

Have you solved the mystery?

[Pinkybijou]

I would definitely candle the ones you have, at this stage you shouldn't be able to see through the egg at all because it will be full of chick!

 

I want to stay positive for you, but only yesterday Dora ate one of the eggs she's been sitting on beautifully for 13 days because it had a crack in it. I know it was her because she had yolk around her beak! Sad, but maybe the same happened to yours - the egg could have cracked accidentally so she's re-using the energy by eating the contents. The only bit of shell left on Dora's was the bit I'd put some micropore tape over

[The Bantam of the Opera]

i seriously doubt this could have happend but an interesting fact, i was told that foxes are the only animal that take eggs somewhere else to eat them.

 

however, i doubt any fox would choose an egg over a chicken so it can't be that.