eggs have odd smell and taste

[grammarwitch]

I have not noticed this often, but once in a while--like this morning's poached eggs--our eggs will have an odd smell and taste. They smell exactly like the smell you get when you scald a chicken to pluck it. (I've only done that once, but it was memorable.) I guess you'd describe it as gamey. Am I just smelling the chicken-ness of the egg, or should I be concerned? It's tolerable but not exactly pleasant. Thanks!

 

[chickengrandma]

I know what you mean. I've smelled that "chicken" smell with my eggs once in awhile also. I imagine, since you have that memorable smell, it probably stands out even more to you.

I just felt it was because of the freshness of them. I ate them and din't have any problems.

 

[grammarwitch]

That is comforting to know. Thanks!

 

[rancher hicks]

I don't eat poached eggs, but have never smelled anything funny in mine. What are you feeding them? EX. to much garlic and they will have a residual smell, same with fish meal.

I wish you unstinky eggs,

Rancher

 

[grammarwitch]

Thank you--I wish you the same!

 

[pgpoultry]

Unless the egg has lain around and bacteria have entered the shell the likely cause for odd smells will always be what the chicken has eaten.

 

[TrystInn]

Just out of curiosity - have you recently dewormed or given your chickens any antibiotics? Treated them with anything?

 

[ShooterG22]

My brother gave his hens some left over salad that had a little dressing on it. Their eggs tasted nasty for days just from the bit of seasoning that was in the oil dressing. Not sure if you've been feeding scraps but always think first about ANY seasoning or spices.

 

[grammarwitch]

No scraps recently, no new feed, no dewormer or antibiotics. When I cleaned out their coop the other day, a field mouse leaped out from under the warm bedding and scurried off. If he came back later and they caught him, they would definitely have eaten him. That's a possibility. Thanks everyone for all the feedback!

 

[Vintage Home and Farm]

I have encountered a gamey tasting egg from one particular hen on an ongoing basis this fall. Her eggs never tasted this way before. The only difference I am noticing is that there is a lot more mud in their chicken run this fall due to how much rain we’ve been having. I noticed they are digging in the dirt a lot. Also, we added ducks to our flock and they make a muddy mess. I was wondering if maybe this hen is eating a lot of dirt. We have eaten her eggs and there is no consequence, seems fine, just not a very good flavor for fresh eggs. All the rest of our 10 hens have great tasting eggs, so it seems odd to me that one hen who lays giant eggs has an unusual and not pleasant flavor. Haven’t dewormed them in recent weeks, we don’t give them a whole lot of food scraps and never any garlic, onions or spices, we do give them dandelion greens and scratch grains as treats every day. Any thoughts on what could make her eggs taste better? (other than free ranging which isn’t possible because we have bald eagles around here that will pick them off.)