We've got rats in our henhouse, and haven't had them steal eggs. I did find some broken egg shells up in the hayloft recently, but racoons were probably the culprit.

Your question immediatly brought an image from "Charlotte's Web" to my mind.
Remember the scene in the original cartoon version where the rat (played by Paul Lind) takes the goose's egg? Then I think Wilbur the Pig accidently steps on it and it stinks up the whole barnyard.

I think E.B. White would answer in the affirmative, rats steal eggs.

I know that when my dog steals an egg off the kitchen counter there is nothing left behind -- she eats it all. And when the hens get bored and start eating eggs, they eat it all, as well, so I would guess if a rat took an egg you wouldn't see any evidence.

I thought I was getting fewer eggs lately. Then today I discovered that one hen has been going into the upper level of the barn -- she had THIRTY TWO EGGS in little nests up there! I didn't think they could get up there, but apparently she found a path.

--Johanna

This may be an old wives' tale, but I have heard that rats will roll eggs away - right into their nests. I throw this out as a possibility only, for others to confirm or refute.

Of course, I have also heard that when the cow goes dry, blame the milksnakes -- and we all know what nonsense that it!

Rats will eat eggs. Wether they roll or carry them away, or eat them on the spot, I don't know, but they do eat them.