Hello all,
I have been raising my first flock of chickens (11 pullets, 4 cockerels, but soon to be fewer boys). They are almost 22 weeks old now and we have been getting eggs from some of them for as long as 2 weeks now.
Question 1:
I found an egg just now with a shell that feels kinda rough like fine sandpaper. I believe it is from one of my Cuckoo Marans (I have 2) because it is fairly dark brown, it was in the nest that both Marans always use, and none of my Orpingtons are laying yet. However, both Marans have always laid eggs with perfectly smooth shells before.
What could cause this strange texture? Is it a problem?
Question 2:
One of my eggs yesterday and two from today have tiny cracks on the pointy ends of them. I ate the one from yesterday right away and I found that the cracks didn't even go all the way through the shell to the egg itself.
It seems to me like they are cracking from dropping onto their ends when they come out of my pullets. They use nesting boxes, which I keep filled with straw, but they always clear out a spot in the middle of the straw and lay the egg on the bare wood beneath. I can't seem to stop them from doing this.
Any ideas on how to stop this, or if maybe I'm guessing wrong and the cracks are being caused by something else?
I can post pics if it would help.
Thanks,
~Lisa
I have been raising my first flock of chickens (11 pullets, 4 cockerels, but soon to be fewer boys). They are almost 22 weeks old now and we have been getting eggs from some of them for as long as 2 weeks now.
Question 1:
I found an egg just now with a shell that feels kinda rough like fine sandpaper. I believe it is from one of my Cuckoo Marans (I have 2) because it is fairly dark brown, it was in the nest that both Marans always use, and none of my Orpingtons are laying yet. However, both Marans have always laid eggs with perfectly smooth shells before.
What could cause this strange texture? Is it a problem?
Question 2:
One of my eggs yesterday and two from today have tiny cracks on the pointy ends of them. I ate the one from yesterday right away and I found that the cracks didn't even go all the way through the shell to the egg itself.
It seems to me like they are cracking from dropping onto their ends when they come out of my pullets. They use nesting boxes, which I keep filled with straw, but they always clear out a spot in the middle of the straw and lay the egg on the bare wood beneath. I can't seem to stop them from doing this.
Any ideas on how to stop this, or if maybe I'm guessing wrong and the cracks are being caused by something else?
I can post pics if it would help.
Thanks,
~Lisa
