Eggs going funny

[nikirushka]

I have my new girlies at last! They've been here for two weeks now. Four of them, they are 2 year olds from a laying flock who have slowed down a bit so were being rehomed.

The eggs have been... interesting. From the start, it's always been one giant double yolker, two normals, and one smaller, elongated egg.

Now, all the eggs are small and elongated, and the shells are starting to change. This was laid this morning. Side on:

Lighter at the round end:

Round end:

Pointy end:

The shell changes weren't there before - the eggs were different sizes etc but nice smooth shells with even colouration. This has started in the last couple of days.

Now, I must say, it's not been smooth sailing with these guys. One came with a respiratory issue, which after some monitoring wasn't improving, so they're currently all on tylan. She is now sounding much, much better and one of the others who had started sneezing has stopped again.

I've also had trouble with water getting in the run - it's a repurposed dog kennel and run sat on slabs I've had to lay myself (thanks to people letting me down) so it's not draining as it should, and water is running off the roof, then seeping under the frame and into the substrate. I'm working on this but we've had such rubbish weather since they arrived that it's been a battle against the wet! In normal rain it's fine but we've had three or four lots of torrential now. I've got the shed nice and dry now, I just need to get guttering up for the run.

I'm kind of assuming that it's a combination of the rehoming, the weather and the respiratory bug that's causing these funny eggs but is there anything else that I should be aware of? I have ACV, they just aren't having it right now with me putting the tylan in their water. They have grit (but it's not pure oyster shell), and are on layer's pellets.

They also get a sprinkle of dried insects in the morning, and a handful of corn an hour before bedtime. I am endeavouring to let them have free ranging time daily as the run is not that big (temporary while I build a much bigger, permanent setup for them), but again with the weather, this hasn't been very doable. They'll be out a lot more now, hopefully.

ETA they've had leafy greens too, and will be getting veg when I've gone shopping next!

ETA also: these girls are fully vaccinated if that makes any difference.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

The color changes are just normal "ink cartridge" hiccups, so nothing to worry about. I find they crop up occasionally and then clear up on their own.

The rough deposits are excess calcium. If you are offering oyster shell (which is different from grit) make sure it is being offered separate from the pellets and not mixed in. That way they can just take some if and when they need some. The same goes for the grit - offer it on the side in a separate container. I can't really comment on the shape. I think the summer weather has some of the girls a bit "off". Some of mine are not laying as regular, and one is laying double yolkers now instead of every day, and the shape is different. I remember she did the same thing last year. Longer days? Temps? I'm not sure what's causing it. I've never noticed frequent or heavy rain to cause a difference, but maybe others have.

Are you in the UK?

 

[nikirushka]

Thank you. They have a separate feeder for the grit/shell, but it's mixed (came that way). Would I be best ordering grit without shell in then? I can re-use their own shells and feed that from a separate thing, I do that with my quails.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

You can toss them their egg shells too (I just throw them down and step on them) but oyster shell is good to have too just as insurance. Oyster shell, as I understand it, is a more slow absorbing form of calcium and the egg shell tends to pass through their system faster. I've never seen it sold mixed before! I suppose I would go ahead and use that up. I think they are good about picking through to find what they want.

 

[nikirushka]

Ok, I'll order some then. The grit I've got can always go round a potted plant if it's not needed!

 

[nikirushka]

Typical - I post this, and I get a normal egg again today!