You may want to consider whether or not you have adequate ventilation, since build up of ammonia fumes can damage the bird's respiratory system, whether you are preventing droppings from accumulating, what you may be using for litter (pine shavings are more absorbent than straw), and whether or not there are intestinal problems occurring in the flock ( diet, endoparasites/bacterial infections that can cause enteritis). I never had a coop smell bad with adequate ventilation, and regular cleaning regiments. Adding lime will burn bird's feet unless turned into the soil. Any dusts broadcasted in the coop will be airborne when birds pick and scratch, which you want to prevent for the sake of their respiratory system. Sweet PDZ is marketed to horse owners, and horses don't pick and scratch as poultry do, nor do they have as intricate a respiratory system.
Egg eating is a bad habit and can get out of control since they will begin to follow what the other birds are doing. Dark nesting places, avoiding high temperatures, enough nests for hens to lay in, and healthy, thick egg shells prevent egg eating. Sometimes a thin shell will break in the nest, a bird starts eating it out of curiosity, and the problem can begin. If you are getting thin shelled eggs even with the addition of ground oyster shell in the diet, start supplementing diet with calcium and vitamin D3. Using a water dispersible poultry vitamin-probiotic supplement, and Calcium Gluconate 3 days a week should help.
Egg eating is a bad habit and can get out of control since they will begin to follow what the other birds are doing. Dark nesting places, avoiding high temperatures, enough nests for hens to lay in, and healthy, thick egg shells prevent egg eating. Sometimes a thin shell will break in the nest, a bird starts eating it out of curiosity, and the problem can begin. If you are getting thin shelled eggs even with the addition of ground oyster shell in the diet, start supplementing diet with calcium and vitamin D3. Using a water dispersible poultry vitamin-probiotic supplement, and Calcium Gluconate 3 days a week should help.
