hens pooping WHILE laying eggs...could it be the gamebird feed?

[haTHOR]

it seems involuntary, just like sometimes when a woman is having a baby. i sat and watched and saw this happen, so i know it isn't just poopy feet stepping on the egg. she pooped a little, laid her egg, and pooped more with the egg/just after it came out. a second hen is starting to have this issue but not as bad. they are the same breed.

is this a problem? i know that the egg is gross to deal with and it makes the nest yucky, which is why the other hens have started laying elsewhere i am sure.

what would you do? i don't like washing eggs unless i am just about to eat them. can't sell them *this* dirty and i won't sell washed eggs.

hens were wormed april 14th. they get gamebird feed. i honestly think that right there is the problem. their poop hasn't been right since and a couple of them seem to have consistent diarrhea since i started this new feed, which i started cause it thought it would be better for them..sure is more expensive. now i 've got poopy eggs, more loose stools, and more mess in the pens...thinking of going back to layer pellets and just giving chicks starter!

thoughts?

 

[eenie114]

Why won't you sell washed eggs?

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

I would go back to your Layer pellets... Gamebird feed has too much Protein, hence more waste, more poop.

I too am interested in why you won't sell washed eggs?

 

[haTHOR]

the outside of the egg is a delicate "shield" of microbacteria (the good ones) that protect the egg from bacterial invasion and infection (the bad kind). i sell to a small community of people and all it would take is one person getting sick from my eggs and not only would i have caused it, i could lose that ability to sellbut for me, it wouldn't feel right.

i just feel that when people pay a premium for "all natural" eggs, even if they don't realize it, that includes the egg retaining its antibacterial coating, which is lost when you wash. no judgment on anyone else's practices...

 

[haTHOR]

now you have got me wondering...do others wash eggs before selling?!

 

[ams3651]

I use gamebird feed and havent had this problem Is it possible you got a bad bag? Just thinking. I dont wash my eggs either because they will last longer which is what my people want but I do tell them to wash them before they use them.

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
Same here. I'm wondering though if you got a really high protien bag of gamebird. My feed store sells 20%, 22%, 24%, and 28% gamebird. I use the 20% and 22% with no problems, but if you got a bag of 28%...........

 

[haTHOR]

i will look. i think i am going to move them over today back to pellets. so sick of all the poop! it's way worse when it's not fully formed, you know?

 

[feathersnuggles]

I have one hen that does that. She lays the biggest fattest eggs in the entire flock. They are huge. She strains a lot when trying to push out her egg. I've actually watched her doing it. When she's pushing hard at first, she inadvertently poops out a tiny bit of fairly wet stuff (I think the straining makes her poop out whatever is there). Then, she strains and pushes and gasps for air...and when she DOES finally pass that huge egg, it hits the little pile of poop in the nest. It's easy to wipe off the poop, either wet or dry. I use a paper damp dry paper towel.

My entire flock eats the same feed, but only this one hen has poopy egg issues, which occurred once her eggs became X-LARGE.

ETA: I just realized you are saying your whole flock is having diarrhea. If so, feed them some plain active-culture yogurt which can help settle and balance their intestinal bacteria. Also, put some raw apple cider vinegar (1 T. /gallon water) in a non-metal waterer. As long as they don't seem sick in any other way, they may just need something to settle their intestinal tract. I give mine the ACV and yogurt (or other probiotic), nearly every day.

 

[chickencrazymamahen]

I wash my eggs....and I sell my eggs...never have had a problem....just make sure you are using very warm water and wash under running water. If you want to "reseal" the egg, rub lightly with food grade mineral oil, sometimes I use olive oil...or it can be spritzed on. I have never had a problem with a washed egg....have had chickens off and on for a long time. My customers appreciate the clean eggs......most are repeat customers and rarely does it go beyond 2-3 weeks that they are re-buying so I know they don't keep them long term.

Good luck with your hen...does sound like you got a bad bag of feed or perhaps too much protein all at once. Put some ACV in the water to help the digestive tract straighten back out...it should help. Hope they get better really soon!!!

mamhen