BAD EGGS

rir264

Songster
10 Years
Apr 29, 2013
81
11
106
Plant City, Florida
I would like to know why when I changed over to the Purina Layena with Oyster why did I start to get bad eggs? I had no bad eggs before this the hens were laying nice large beautifully hard shelled eggs and then they slowly started to do really funky things. First they began to get smaller, then wrinkled, then the egg shell quality went down, I was getting less and less eggs to where I may have gotten an egg every three days (when they were laying 5 eggs each a week), then I started to get eggs with very light shells that would break when the chicken would expelied it, then with no shells at all and of course the one that came that was just plain stinky and gross. And before you say it I did not take away their oyster shell. I am still having problems with one bird she has not come back from it all yet. THE ONLY thing that I changed at that time was the food. Since I have gone back to the other food that I was feeding prior my production is better not where I want it but better, after all these things do take time and we are in a VERY hot summer and they have begun to molt my egg shell quality is better and the eggs are larger. So can you all tell me WHY?
 
My guess is that the protein content matters. What percentage is your regular food, compared to the Layena?

There might also be a difference in taste or texture that put them off eating it. Hopefully now that you have switched back, things will stay good for you.
 
Hi,
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I have only heard good things about the Layena, so this is interesting. I don't know the answer but thought I would relay an article I read... https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/common-egg-quality-problems

Hope it helps a little.

Good luck!

eta: I don't actually use that product as it isn't appropriate for my mixed age and gender flock.
 
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Fannie: The protein about is 16% on both however after reading other articles on this lovely site I am going to be going to a high protein percentage for my next bag. I could understand if it was just one maybe two in my flock but it was all of my layers and that was the only change at that time. I give everyone clean water with vitamins/minerals daily. All layers were fine I switched food then all the problems started. Now since I changed back there food to what I was feeding before they are getting better but I have several hens who have started to molt, probably because it is very hot here, and my production amount is getting better. Hopefully when it cools a bit it will be a lot better! Thanks for you thought
 
Hey Eggsighted4life: I have read that article before and several of my problems could be poor nutrition. With the next bag of food I am going to bump up the protein level in hopes that they will get more of what they need. Thanks for the link.
 
Hey Eggsighted4life: I have read that article before and several of my problems could be poor nutrition. With the next bag of food I am going to bump up the protein level in hopes that they will get more of what they need. Thanks for the link.
I think most layer feeds have around 16% protein. I use an all flock which gives me 21% protein and oyster shell on the side. When I have chicks I use game bird starter which (this brand) has 28% protein. I also like to use the higher protein when they are in molt.

Sounds like some of your issue could be the hot weather. Though molting may be occurring because of the change in daylight hours. Lots of people like to use "raw apple cider vinegar with MOTHER" mixed in the water to combat heat stress. It also increases calcium absorption and adds probiotics!

I don't use the ACV because it makes weird things grow in my well water. But city dwellers haven't had that problem. But I do ferment my chicken feed and highly recommend trying it! Its increases nutritional absorption as a whole, the poos are mostly solid and stink way less with only every 10th or so being the nastier ones. Increased absorption means decreased consumption because they only eat to meat their needs. Many people claim less waste, but there is still some waste for me.

When I want a middle ground for protein, I mix the 2 bags to get about 24%. I haven't had any problems thus far.

Maybe you don't need to add the vitamins and minerals to the water. They should technically get enough from their feed. I think some minerals may build up. For example... I realized, when I am doing electrolyte solution, I just keep adding more to the bowl. But I realized that I am having evaporation.... and salt does not evaporate. So if I continued doing that long term, it could probably cause some kind of problem if not death. I know excess vitamins will just be expelled, becoming wasted $. But I am not sure about minerals. Just something to consider.

Best wishes for strong eggs and healthy birds!
 
Hi Eggsight4life: I never really thought about the minerals becoming an overload for their system I do know that when you use reverse osmosis system that most of the natural minerals are removed from the water through the filtering process, that is why I add the vitamin/mineral supplement. Any vitamin excess gets expelled. I do not see any evaporation it is a closed waterer, I know they like to play in it.

I had to get new food today and all I could get here was 18%, I do have a feed store here that is going to order me so 20% for next week, will see how they do with the increase of protein. I have never thought of ferment the food I guess that means that you feed meals? I have their food in feeder and they eat whenever I have read and heard that that was the preferred way to feed chickens. I tried the cider vinegar w. mother and most of the birds got sick after taking it so I removed it, from what I understand is that should only be done once a week and not something that should be given daily. I got that off the internet and you know it could be wrong, my mother takes that daily and swears by it but that is a person not a bird.

Hopefully I will get it all figured out or the fall will come and and the chickens will get busy then and my new layers will begin laying eggs and all will be well again! LOL

Thanks for all the good info
 
I just put out enough FF to last through the day so they get free choice always. Once in a while I have to refill in the late afternoon because all of my 33+ birds are still growing. So I am not at a steady level yet. And I put it in the shade so it doesn't dry out too much. Some people do both... free choice dry and FF once or twice a day. I actually don't have dry feed available for them. They are on pasture which is quite rich here. So I don't truly know their protein intake as it is supplemented with whatever bugs and greens they find.

Clearly you care enough to do research and make changes... sounds like your birds are in good hands, and they WILL get better!

Incidentally, did you find any evidence of grain mites in that purina? Could that have effected the hens? Seems like grain mites are specific to grain though... so my brain is just trying to come up with all the possibilities.... a good mystery.
 
EggSighted4Life: No I haven"t seen any grain mites in the layer that I was using, probably the only thing positive I can say about Purina, I was very disappointed with the product. You know I have used their chick food for a long time cuz my closest feed store they only have Purina.

I guess I do not know any thing about fermenting the food poor to feeding it I have always given dry only, but after reading your post I am going to do a little research on that subject cuz I would like to know more about it and if it is better to feed my crew that way cuz they get more nutrition well then that is what I will do.

You know I grew up on a farm and we had chickens, we had a large chicken farm when I was much younger. I never paid much attention to them they just gave us eggs and we gave them food then when they stopped producing a lot we turned them into food. My guys here all have names and their own personalities, I love to just watch them cuz they can be pretty funny. I want the flock out there to be healthy and happy so in order for that to happen I must learn new ways of doing things like feeding them, you know?

We have so many hawks here that my chickens really wouldn't stand much of a chance so I have them in a enclosure hook to their coop which I am in the process of expanding, I really need to find a way to give them more greens. I am thinking of getting them some toys, I have tree branches so they can get up off the ground with a couple of levels, the bantams like to go up higher than the big girls do, always something to do and to think of, they keep me busy
yippiechickie.gif
 
Ya, hawks are a major danger. They got my neighbors bantam rooster. I have a lot of trees and bushes the chickens seem to stay under and then they RUN across the open areas. I think having my dogs out there actually detours a lot of predation. But I know we will eventually have some losses. We also have every other predator under the sun (and moon).

If you don't use chemicals or fertilizer on your yard, you can throw the clippings in there coop (not longer than 3 in). I like to make a "scratch spot". basically a small location in the enclosure where you put out your compost. If you don't already compost, your chickens will eat just about all of the tops and bottoms of fruits and vegetables and they LOVE crushed egg shells which you can put in there as well. And the pile where you make it will end up with all kinds of bugs a worms attracted so the hens can scratch for and enjoy those.

This link is a long thread, and I read it all. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/645057/fermented-feeds-anyone-using-them

If you decide it's right for you, let me know and I will be glad to give you a few simple tips with what I've learned so far to make it work FOR ME. How many are you feeding?

Also if you want someone to know you are talking to them, you can put @ in front of their name like.... @rir264 and the system actually notifies you.

All of my chickens have names as well. When I had only 3, they actually even knew and responded to their names. I love to watch chicken TV. Very entertaining!
 

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