How do rats steal chicken eggs? - briefly
Rats enter poultry enclosures through gaps or damaged fencing, locate nest boxes, break the shells with their incisors, and carry the contents away. They typically operate at night, using their climbing ability and small size to avoid detection.
How do rats steal chicken eggs? - in detail
Rats are opportunistic omnivores that target poultry nests when egg protein and fat become attractive food sources. They locate nests by scent, hearing the faint sounds of hatching chicks, and visual cues such as disturbed bedding. Once a nest is identified, rats exploit any structural weakness—gaps around wire mesh, cracked walls, or poorly sealed doors—to gain entry.
Entry is often achieved during low‑light periods. Rats move silently, using their whiskers to gauge distances and their padded paws to avoid breaking fragile shells. They can climb the sides of coops, pull aside loose slats, or gnaw through soft wood and insulation. In multi‑level housing, they may descend from overhead rafters or ascend from adjacent feed storage areas.
Inside the nest, rats employ two primary tactics. The first involves breaking the shell with their incisors, exposing the yolk and white, which they consume on the spot. The second consists of removing intact eggs, carrying them in their mouth or using their forepaws to transport the egg to a hidden cache where they later crack it open. Both methods minimize disturbance to the surrounding environment, reducing the likelihood of detection by chickens or humans.
The feeding cycle repeats as long as eggs remain accessible. Rats may revisit the same nest multiple times per night, each visit lasting only a few seconds to avoid alerting the flock. Their small size allows them to maneuver through openings as narrow as 2 cm, making even minor structural defects a liability for egg loss.
Effective control measures focus on eliminating entry routes, sealing all gaps with metal mesh or cement, and maintaining clean, debris‑free coop interiors. Regular inspection of nesting boxes for signs of gnaw marks, droppings, or displaced eggs helps identify active infestation early. Traps and bait stations positioned around the perimeter reduce the resident rat population, decreasing pressure on the egg supply.