Abnormal eggs

[Lechugapicante]

Hello! My sweet black copper maran is laying abnormal eggs.




They had just been laying spotted eggs which I now realize may not be normal. Then I realized that the streaking on some of her eggs are actually blood stains. Now her eggs have small holes in them! Unfortunately, the flies got to the one yesterday before we had gotten it from the coop and laid eggs inside, uck!!

Is this a nutrition problem? Their feed is primarily layer feed and they free-range about 6 to 10 hours most days.

Layer feed = Crude protein 16%, Calcium 3.75-4.75%, Phosphorus 0.5%



First egg with hole, fly eggs inside.


Her egg from this afternoon.


Help!! Thank you!!

 

[azygous]

You should find this fascinating. http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/01/how-hen-makes-egg-egg-oddities.html

Your egg with a hole in it is covered in this article.

You don't mention how old your Marans is. This sort of egg anomaly is usually found in older hens. I have a seven-year old hen that laid such an egg today. It's usually a sign they need more calcium. Do you supplement their layer feed with oyster shell?

You might also want to try a few days of calcium citrate to bolster her calcium levels. I've done this with great success. You can disguise the quartered tablet in peanut butter or crush it and sprinkle it over some grated carrot.

 

[Lechugapicante]

Quote:
Thank you!

From what I was told by the woman I got her from, she is less than two years old.

I had stopped supplementing oyster shell because they free-range so frequently and hadn't been paying attention to it. I put some out this evening though just to feel like I might be doing something to help them, and Ghoulia, my maran, was going crazy for it! Thank you for the tip on providing calcium citrate. I don't have any on hand this evening but will go get some tomorrow.

Is there any possibility this could be caused by TOO MUCH Calcium?

 

[azygous]

Doubtful it's caused by too much calcium. You would see calcium deposits on the shell if that was the case.

In a young hen, this problem is usually temporary, though. The calcium citrate will set her back on the right track. Calcium citrate therapy is only for short intervals. Doing it over longer periods risks kidney damage. She should be laying normal eggs again after just a few doses.

 

[aart]

Interesting.

Is the rest of the shell thin?