Breaking yolks

[SusanJoM]

I'm having a lot of yolks that look like the eggs are "old", but....they aren't.

I'm getting a dozen or two eggs a day and I cook most of them within a day or two and feed the scrambled eggs back to the chickens.
When I started doing this I cut their feed back from the 20% to the 16%.
Is that the issue?

I have been lax about giving them oyster shell, but they do free range all day, but...
Could that be the issue?

This morning I broke one egg into the skillet (for myself) and immediately threw it into the compost just because it was so very unappealing.
And I'm embarrassed to gift my friends with eggs since they look.....old....

I'm just not sure where to tackle this issue.
Any help would be appreciated.

Susan

 

[Mountain Peeps]

I'm having a lot of yolks that look like the eggs are "old", but....they aren't.

I'm getting a dozen or two eggs a day and I cook most of them within a day or two and feed the scrambled eggs back to the chickens.
When I started doing this I cut their feed back from the 20% to the 16%.
Is that the issue?

I have been lax about giving them oyster shell, but they do free range all day, but...
Could that be the issue?

This morning I broke one egg into the skillet (for myself) and immediately threw it into the compost just because it was so very unappealing.
And I'm embarrassed to gift my friends with eggs since they look.....old....

I'm just not sure where to tackle this issue.
Any help would be appreciated.

Susan

Probably your two problems are the feed % and clacium. Hens need calcium to insure healthy, strong and high quality eggs. The feed should be 16% not 20%. Feed them fewer eggs. Also, make sure they have plenty of water which can also effect egg quality. I've attached a helpful link too.

http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2013/03/you-cant-fake-fresh.html

 

[Nocila]

I might cut back on how many eggs you give them, as I could see that being an issue. Someone asked a few weeks ago whether you could feed a chicken with only their eggs, and obviously, that isn't the case, but I think, if they eat too many eggs, that could be harmful too. Eggs are good for when the birds need a quick boost or something, but I wouldn't give them to them all the time.

I'd probably feed them fewer eggs, and return to the 20% feed, and see if that helps.