IA here

[sammileah]

How odd. If you fed scraps like I do I'd say something they ate. During tomato season my yolks are almost red. Mulberries drop my shells are purple specked. So I'd like to know the answer too


Is it Monday yet

 

[FlashPointFarm]

I saw the thread you posted on that other people had on discolored yolks. They were using shredded paper for bedding and nesting material. I'm assuming you weren't though. I'll see if I can help dig up an answer for you.

 

[sammileah]

i use shredded paper in my nest boxes, never had dis colored huh.

 

[FlashPointFarm]

Any way they could have gotten into something you didn't know about? Do they free range? Could anyone else in the household fed them something you normally don't without your knowledge?

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[LadyWoodsong]

I haven't fed them anything different than I always do. They free-range from morning to dusk in the spring/summer/fall, but this winter they've spent most of it in the coop. They don't like the snow too much.

I feed them chicken feed I get from Bomgaars and some cracked corn. They get fresh water every day.

I *did* throw in a small bag of shredded paper last week 'cuz I am considering getting shredded paper for bedding, that's why I posted on that other thread 'cuz I'm wondering if they ingested some of it and the ink on the paper turned their yolks this color! They were fresh eggs, I gather them every day.

I will have to go see what that other thread said about it.

 

[mrandmrschicken]

Did you come up with anything yet Joy?

 

[FlashPointFarm]

The shredded paper must be it, because that's what caused the other people's hens to do the same thing.

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[LadyWoodsong]

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Not definitively. Most people don't think the shredded paper would do it. Lots of people have used shredded paper for bedding and never had anything like this happen. I'm wondering if the paper that was shredded had a lot of ink on it or something? I really don't know.

Someone said it could be that the feed company changed something in the feed. They said that cottonseed something-or-other will do something similar.....so I don't know if the feed I buy from Bomgaars has changed.....?

I cracked open two more eggs from today and they still have a slight greenish tinge to them. I threw them away. They don't smell at all. They just look disturbing and I'm not going to use them until this has cleared up.

 

[mrandmrschicken]

Joy;

I agree with Trish. Been thinking about it and it's one of two things albeit I am not an expert... I have read about this in the past but for the life of me I can not pin point where. The experience appears to be purely environmental rather than biological, and a harmless thing, just rather unattractive.
If memory serves me correctly, there is a thing about certain breeds, possibly, when they start to get their seasonal laying habits back in gear after the winter slow down, sometimes the eggs will be discolored. (which is biological) And, of course inks or dyes could cause this effect as well.
As long as the girls are eating and staying busy and pooping normally, they should be fine, it will pass the more frequently they lay. I remember someone commenting about the off colored yolks and eating them as well with no ill affects. Don't know if I'd be that daring but???
Is it one particular breed or various ones? How is there shell color coming out? My birds lay dark shelled eggs when they first start laying again. I've been told that the longer a hen holds in her egg, the darker the shell will get on a non-brown egg layer.

 

[LadyWoodsong]

The shell color is normal. It seemed to be all the eggs, so it affected all of the chickens. Other than the banty's I have all Black Stars. (12 of them)

This morning I gathered one egg (yes, that's all there was out of that many chickens!) and it was back to normal.

Guess I'll never know for sure.....unless I were to go get more shredded paper and do an experiment with it again.

They all are acting normal, pooping normal, drinking, eating normal. Nothing else is out of the ordinary.