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17 Animals That Eat Chicken Eggs

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How do you like your eggs? Boiled, scrambled, or perhaps sunny side up? You’re not the only egg lover in the universe. Some animals love eating eggs.

If you have chicken in your backyard, have you ever wondered what animals might sneak into your backyard and eat your chickens’ eggs?

Hen laying eggs in a chicken coop

It turns out there are many animals that like to munch on chicken eggs, some more frightening than others.

Here’s a list of twenty-five animals you may or may not want to find in the backyard with all those tasty eggs.

Animals That Eat Chicken Eggs

1. Opossums (Possum)

An Opossum standing on a tree trunk in the yard

This marsupial is pretty sneaky when it comes to finding food, so they’re no stranger to stealing an egg here and there.

If they sneak their way into your chicken coop, they are known to kill young chicks or adult chickens and eat the eggs. Possums are known to eat eggs at night as they are nocturnal creatures.

2. Raccoons

a wild raccoon peeping from an old log in the woods

Raccoons are clever creatures that have been known to climb trees and knock off eggs from their nests.

Raccoons can dig underneath barriers and climb fences to access chicken coops, and they will happily eat the chickens’ eggs whenever they find them.

To prevent raccoons from being regular visitors in your home, it is best to make sure you do not leave pet foods outside and make sure the trash cans are closed at all times, especially at night, as they are always seen wandering at night looking for food.

Enclose your chickens securely in their chicken coop to help keep them safe from the raccoons.

3. Skunks

a wild skunk leaning towards a log in the yard

If you have ever encountered one, then you know how potent their spray can be. Despite its effect on humans, skunks do not seem to mind the scent all that much.

They will burrow under the fence and have a go at your hens’ eggs or simply find an unprotected nest to devour.

To prevent skunks from attacking your chickens, soak a rag in ammonia and place the rag on a metal plate to prevent it from dripping to the ground.

The logic behind this technique is that ammonia smells like its predator urine thus, scaring them away.

Another way to keep raccoons away is by using pepper flex and deterrent light.

4. Snakes

a green snake on a tree branch

Most reptiles are known as opportunistic hunters, but snakes seem to be the worst of the bunch in this regard!

Mostly, a snake doesn’t go looking for chicken eggs, but whenever they find them when hunting for mice, rats, and other rodents, they will devour them.

When a snake gets a chance to enter your chicken coop, it will simply crawl in and swallow an egg whole.

To help protect your chicken and eggs from being devoured whole by a snake, clear the bushes, trim grass, move debris, and cut any hanging branches. Snakes don’t like being in the open, which will deter them from nearing your chicken coop.

Snakes are most likely to eat chicken eggs in the cover of the darkness.

5. Bobcats

a wild bobcat stepping on the branches of a tree in the woods

These cats are stealthy, which is why they prefer to hunt at night but can still attack at any time of the day. They mostly go for small rodents but have been known to make a meal out of a chicken and its eggs.

If you’ve ever heard or seen something lurking near your hen house in the middle of the night, there’s a good chance you have a bobcat to blame.

To keep bobcats away, strengthen your chicken coop, so they don’t get access to your chicken and eggs. You also need to store away any pet food that may attract them. The chicken coop should also be kept extra clean as bobcats follow the smell.

6. Coyotes

coyote walking in a green lawn uphill

Coyotes usually prey on smaller animals, but they certainly know what eggs are and how to get them!

The coyote is found throughout the United States as well as Mexico and Canada. They eat plants, fruits, berries, small mammals like mice, rabbits, squirrels, young birds, and even chicken eggs if they can find them!

To keep coyotes away, ensure that your chickens are in their secure coops as they’re not able to break into locked pens or fenced enclosures like some other predators.

7. Dogs

two dogs sitting on the grass in the yard

This type of predator is slightly different because it has been domesticated, and you would think any dog would be on its best behavior.

Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Dogs will happily munch on chicken eggs if they see them be it daytime or nighttime.

To prevent dogs from eating eggs, you can spray the eggs shells with bitter apple spray.

The dogs will find the eggs unpalatable and will stop eating them. Securing your chickens inside a chicken pen will also prevent the dogs from accessing the chicken and the eggs.

8. Aardvark

An aardvark wandering in the field

Aardvarks are native to Africa, and they dig for their food mostly on anthills and termite mounds. Give this animal access to chicken eggs, and you will see the eggshells all over your backyard after he is done with his meal!

Aardvarks are nocturnal creatures thus are most likely to eat eggs at night when looking for food.

9. Weasels

a weasel standing on a piece of wood near a purple flower

If you have ever seen a weasel around your yard, it’s probably because they’re trying to grab something to eat!

They are notorious for being egg thieves and will also pry up stones or try to squeeze below boards if that is their only way of access.

10. Crows

a crow on a tree branch in the forest

Crows are ingenious animals that make use of their brain power when hunting for food. If you have some chickens running around in your yard during the day, a crow will easily spot it from far away and then fly over to attack!

If crows can spot a chicken egg out in the open, they will happily feed on them.

Clean your chicken house, get rid of any carcasses, and secure your chicken pen to prevent crows from accessing and eating your chickens and their eggs.

11. Owls

an owl resting on a tree branch in the woods

Owls are nocturnal and thus come out to feed at night. If they happen to  see a chicken egg when looking for food, they are likely to eat the eggs and any other prey on the spot rather than carrying it in their beaks,

Securing your chicken coop with a wire mesh will protect your eggs and chickens from crows.

12. Bear

a black bear wandering in the woods

An adult black bear can eat up to 86 pounds of food per day, including chicken eggs! If you have a bear in your area, you will probably see some eggshells in your backyard after it has been there for a  visit!

An electric fence around the chicken pen will deter a bear from accessing and eating your chickens or the eggs.

13. Caiman (Cayman)

The caiman is an animal native to the South American area that hunts and eats food day and night.

The caiman dines on fish, crabs, snakes, turtle eggs, and sometimes even small alligators! When they spot chicken eggs, this reptile will gladly eat them.

14. Housecat

a house cat sleeping on a windowsill inside the house

If you have any chickens in your backyard, you might want to keep a watchful eye on them because there is a possibility that your house cat will attack and kill it!

Cats are predators who hunt for small animals such as mice, rats, and birds. Housecats can’t resist chicken eggs and thus will eat them whether in the daytime or nighttime.

Make sure you store your chicken eggs where your adorable housecat won’t be able to get to them. Secure your chicken coop also to prevent the cat from eating the chicks.

15. Jaguar

The jaguar is a large wild cat that lives in South America, Central America, Mexico, and parts of the United States.

A jaguar is an opportunistic feeder, and its diet consists of animals such as deer, peccaries, and smaller mammals including chickens running around on people’s properties.

Jaguars are also known to eat chicken eggs whenever they find them.

16. Mongoose

The mongoose is a small mammal that lives in Africa and Asia. This animal is known for its ferocity and will attack and eat snakes, rabbits, and even an adult chicken.

If they chance upon chicken eggs, the mongoose will happily devour them.

17. Polar bear

a polar bar walking in a snowy field

The polar bear is a carnivorous mammal that lives in the Arctic Circle.

The polar bear spends most of its time hunting for seals and fish, but it will also eat small animals like rodents, hares, and birds. Polar bears have been observed eating goose eggs on various occasions.

If they stumble upon eggs, they will gladly eat them.

Ways to Secure Your Chicken and Eggs From Predators

  1. Roof your chicken pen. This will prevent flying or climbing predators from getting inside.
  1. Repair any small holes. Predators such as snakes, rats, and weasels can access the chicken pen to eat the chicken and the eggs.
  1. Install predator-proof locks.  Raccoons can unlock locks that two-year-olds can! A two-step unlocking mechanism will help keep your chicken and eggs safe.
  1. Install motion-activated lights to deter predators from accessing your property as they are not comfortable walking under glaring lights.
  1. Electrify your chicken pen. This will prevent predators from going near the coop again once they touch it, and they will move to other areas to look for easy prey.
chickens inside a secured chicken coop in the yard

Final Thoughts

Predators are sneaky and clever. However, you can help protect your chicken and their eggs by proofing the chicken pen.

Also, ensure that there are no pet foods lying around that may attract predators to your compound.

Ensure you clean the chicken pen to prevent predators that follow chicken smell from visiting.

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