We are new to keeping chickens - bought ours end of May this year (2013). We have 6 No. Bluebells.The last two days we have cooked six eggs and found two not smelling too good. One definitely not right the other doubtful. I am scrupulous at rotation and I also keep them in the fridge although I realise you don't buy eggs from the fridge in the supermarket. Although I often don't collect the eggs until late afternoon. Any ideas? We do have trouble with feather plucking and eating of feathers. The first problem hen has been separated for some time although she can see the others inside and they are all allowed to free range together. When she was separated another took the lead at feather plucking. When we put the first bird back with the others there was a fight and the originator quickly took over. As she was quite aggressive she was immediately separated again. I don't intend to de-beak any of them but four are very naked on their nether regions and one has also been fully plucked badly around her tail and partially on top. All have got the very top coat of feathers missing thanks to the feather plucking yet all seem happier when together. All in all they seem content. I don't think the advice of the breeder was good i.e. keeping them inside until they had laid. I would certainly not follow it a second time and would allow them into a run at the very least. I do not intend to buy from this source again. Any help re the eggs would be greatly appreciated as we are now smelling every darn egg!
Welcome to BYC It may have been something they ate, though storing eggs in the fridge with other strong smelling foodstuff can also negatively affect the eggs' smell. The feather plucking and eating could be due to boredom, overcrowding or lack of protein in their diet. Giving them more space and hanging a cabbage in the run for them to peck may help with that. If it's a protein deficiency give them some dry cat food, meat scraps, tinned tuna, cooked eggs or mealworms.
Nutrena has a new food out called feather fixer, do a search here and read about it . it will help your girls regrow there feathers. "cooped up until they lay" I have never heard of such a thing. let them out daily Welcome and enjoy Steve
Welcome to BYC! You can try posting in this forum: https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/18/chicken-behaviors-and-egglaying good luck to you.
Your chickens could get some protection against THE PICKER. A hen apron intended to prevent rooster damage to their back, would also offer some deterent. In the "everything else for sale," thread on BYC, there are some ladies who make and sell " hen aprons", and "diapers," for housepet chickens. For do or die pickers, you could try pinless peepers on them.
I should like to thank everyone for their warm welcome. I have watched the site and read links on a number of occasions and found them very useful. I am following up all the ideas re feather plucking but the real problem is the smelly egg(s). Yesterday morning we took four eggs again in rotation for breakfast and one did smell off so binned. That same day I carefully collected the newly laid eggs, placed them in a separate egg carton in the fridge and this morning cracked them all - again one did smell. So today I have been in and out of the coop from early morning watching who was laying and collecting immediately. I thought all was well until the last one of the day and again this was another smelly egg. it looked fine on the outside and inside, good shell, nice and large, not discoloured inside but foul smelling. I found this link which might interest others. animals.pawnation.com - can an infection in a chicken spread to her eggs - Fungal infections can occur inside a chicken's body and transmit to the chicken's eggs while they are developing. An infected egg may be rotten, discolored or foul-smelling. You should not eat an egg that has a bad odor, because it may be contaminated with a fungus. I am tiring of these hens as I am concerned the infection may pass to the others. Another site suggests so many things that could cause problems. I have kept reading about the deep layer method for bedding but not been keen. I have not changed all the bedding for a couple of weeks to see how it goes but I am going back to daily thorough cleaning. Any more thoughts very welcome.
