Bad eggs

[KnARanch]

Hello,

Not sure which hen laid this egg, but I'd like to figure what may have caused this so i can prevent all my hens laying these.

I read the article about eggs, and now I'm worried about everything we do or don't do for them

Husband thinks this may be from our smallest Sapphire Gem who, unfortunately, is the lowest in the pecking order. She is also our smallest hen.

We are doing all we can to get them to eat their layer feed and all other eggs have been good.

The photo shows the 'bad' egg next to a perfect one - both from same nesting box (we have 3 boxes for 5 chickies).

Thank you!

 

[C Siena]

Is it a bad egg in that it smells? or just because of the broken shell?
It could just be a one time thing but I'd guess more calcium.

Does the shell seem thin? You said hen, is she 1yr or over? If under 1 yr, she is still a pullet (I had to learn that )

How long has she been laying? Do you offer Oyster Shell and/or crushed Egg Shell on the side?

Sorry for all the questions but they will help to determine.

 

[KnARanch]

Is it a bad egg in that it smells? or just because of the broken shell?
It could just be a one time thing but I'd guess more calcium.

Does the shell seem thin? You said hen, is she 1yr or over? If under 1 yr, she is still a pullet (I had to learn that )

How long has she been laying? Do you offer Oyster Shell and/or crushed Egg Shell on the side?

Sorry for all the questions but they will help to determine.

Do not apologize for asking questions! I told that to my students all the time! How will you learn or invest in learning (or get answers) if you don't ask questions?!

They are still pullets . The feed has oyster shell & omega-3 in it. We have a very hard time getting them to eat it, so we've been mixing scratch into it. Should we add more shell? Will chicken egg shell work?

We have one that has been laying for about 4 weeks, two others for 3 weeks. We aren't sure about the other 2 - the smallest pullet, Poe, has only in the last few days shown interest in laying. (She is also camera shy)

I'm concerned about the cracked shell and that crater/build up. It has no smell - well, other than smelling like the shoop!

This is my first time with chickens and husband is very nonchalant about it all I'm worse than a Mother Hen

 

[C Siena]

Do not apologize for asking questions! I told that to my students all the time! How will you learn or invest in learning (or get answers) if you don't ask questions?!

They are still pullets . The feed has oyster shell & omega-3 in it. We have a very hard time getting them to eat it, so we've been mixing scratch into it. Should we add more shell? Will chicken egg shell work?

We have one that has been laying for about 4 weeks, two others for 3 weeks. We aren't sure about the other 2 - the smallest pullet, Poe, has only in the last few days shown interest in laying. (She is also camera shy)

I'm concerned about the cracked shell and that crater/build up. It has no smell - well, other than smelling like the shoop!

This is my first time with chickens and husband is very nonchalant about it all I'm worse than a Mother Hen

Don't worry, most of us have been Mother Hens, at least in the beginning. I can still be that way at times.

I prefer the OS on the side, so they can choose, not included in the feed. Some will need more than others. ES/Egg shells work also, we provide both together on the side.

The scratch, I think, is a low protein, so it will lower the overall protein they get. Try wetting it, like a mash, oatmeal. Ours devour the wet food immediately.
We also free range all day every day, even if we are away for a few hours. We live 750' from the road, very rural and have woods that surround most of the property.

 

[KnARanch]

Ah! Wet feed That makes sense! I have some pancake mix that got some "friends" in it - I can add their feed & a few eggs to make Chickie-Cakes! Or Flap-Hencakes!

We are rural too, but, the foxes, groundhogs, and stray cat may like my chickies too much

 

[nuthatched]

Don't mix in scratch. Is this a pelleted or loose grain feed?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

If you provide oyster shell, the egg shells are not really necessary. Keep the oyster shell in a dry place.

If you know which pullet laid these eggs, you can give her a Calcium Citrate +D3 tablet every day for 3 to 7 days. Some hens need the D3 to help them metabolize the calcium. Easiest to just pop it in her beak in the evening after she's gone to roost, so you don't have to chase and try to catch her in the heat of the day. The tablet may look big but she can swallow it no problem. Just pull down on her wattles to get her to open her beak, pop it in and let her close her beak.

 

[KnARanch]

Don't mix in scratch. Is this a pelleted or loose grain feed?

Pellets. I made some pellet/cooked egg/water mash

 

[KnARanch]

If you provide oyster shell, the egg shells are not really necessary. Keep the oyster shell in a dry place.

If you know which pullet laid these eggs, you can give her a Calcium Citrate +D3 tablet every day for 3 to 7 days. Some hens need the D3 to help them metabolize the calcium. Easiest to just pop it in her beak in the evening after she's gone to roost, so you don't have to chase and try to catch her in the heat of the day. The tablet may look big but she can swallow it no problem. Just pull down on her wattles to get her to open her beak, pop it in and let her close her beak.

I have that! I'll be using Husband to help get it in - he has indestructible hands!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I usually have DH (Dear Husband) hold the hen while I pop the pill in her beak. We make a great team.