- Aug 4, 2013
- 6
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I searched the forum and most say this is a feed issue. The chickens just started laying reliably. I have changed feed a few times. Mostly fed them Purina layena crumbles without the omega 3. I have tried Southern States which is a bit cheaper $14 for a 50pound bag. It has omega and marigolds.I am in North Carolina. The omega in the Sou. States feed does not seem overdone. It is their regular layer feed. The yolks come out darker and more orange on Southern States. At first I gave them some oyster shell in a separate feeder to get the harder shells. Has been removed and replaced with the granite grit. Change water often. Our eggs have a musty taste like dirt. They are in a coop with a run that does not move. I rake out the run regularly. I put wheat straw down sometimes in the run or sand. We have clay soil they have really torn up in the run. Cannot figure out what is putting the off taste into the eggs. We have two barred rocks, one australorp, an americauna, one buff orpington, a silver laced wyandotte and a gold laced. They seem healthy and happy. One of them likes to lay an egg in the run. The rest lay in the nest boxes. The only other variable is I insulated the roof of the coop with foil backed foam insulation. They decided to tear it apart as far up as they could reach. Seemed to like the shiny foil that I faced into the coop. It is gone now. I bet they ingested some. I really don't think it is a feed issue other than maybe the oyster shell. We give a little scratch. They like green grass pulled from the garden - no onions in the run or in what I give. So if anyone has some ideas, I would love to know. Tired of the earthy, musty tasting eggs.