3 Rhode Island Reds laying bad eggs

[HoundsHarvestFarm]

We have 17 birds and we have 3 Rhode island reds that when you crack their eggs they smell rotten. There is a small chance they ate moldy food for a few days about 4 weeks ago but none of the others have stinky eggs. We do have one other chicken laying soft eggs and we are trying to supplement the whole flock. Anyone got an idea about why these Rhode islands would effectively be laying rotten eggs?

 

[Pullet Press]

Here, I'll post to keep this coming along.

 

[coach723]

First look at diet. Some feed ingredients, or other things they eat can impact egg quality and cause odor or off taste. These birds are acting and appear healthy otherwise?
Another thought is are you SURE they are fresh? Sometimes birds will lay where they shouldn't, eggs don't get found right away. Just covering the bases.
http://www.yellowbirchhobbyfarm.com/preventing-rotten-eggs-what-not-to-feed-your-chickens/
https://bestfarmanimals.com/why-chickens-lay-rotten-eggs-how-to-identify-fix-and-prevent-it/

 

[HoundsHarvestFarm]

First look at diet. Some feed ingredients, or other things they eat can impact egg quality and cause odor or off taste. These birds are acting and appear healthy otherwise?
Another thought is are you SURE they are fresh? Sometimes birds will lay where they shouldn't, eggs don't get found right away. Just covering the bases.
http://www.yellowbirchhobbyfarm.com/preventing-rotten-eggs-what-not-to-feed-your-chickens/
https://bestfarmanimals.com/why-chickens-lay-rotten-eggs-how-to-identify-fix-and-prevent-it/

Thanks, we have been switching them back and forth between scratch n peck (great food) and another local source. Might try and keep them on scratch n peck for a bit. Also yes we get them each day from the nesting boxes. They do seem healthy otherwise.

Could it be something in their run or maybe the scraps that we also fees that is causing it? (Guessing the answer is possible)

 

[Eggcessive]

I tried Scratch and Peck Layer feed this past year, since it looked so good in the ads. Their chick feed looked really good in the ads. What I recieved was a lot of powder and a few large seeds. My chickens would not eat it, and they have had a number of different feeds over their 8 years. Layer pellets, crumbles and all flock feeds, which they took well. I ennded up throwing most of a 50 pound bag out to the critters in the countryside. Most chickens seem to do better with a homogenous crumble or pellet where nothing can be pushed out for the goodies. That way they can’t eat just the seeds they prefer, which is like eating the best parts out of the healthy nutritious feeds.

 

[coach723]

Yes, it's possible the scraps could be a contributor. I would put them on a balanced feed, preferable a pellet or crumble so they can't pick and choose, and nothing else food wise for a period and see if it makes a difference. I know that flax and fish meal have been common for causing issues with egg taste/smell, so a feed that doesn't contain that. Every bird is different and while some may be fine with a food ingredient, others may not digest or metabolize it well. I had a couple of birds with crop issues once, it was a particular brand of feed that once I switched the problem resolved, they were having a hard time digesting it.