Our first egg and some questions!

[OrloffTom]

Today we got our first egg! We have the 7 Golden Comets and of course being the first and not being home I have no clue which laid it! I'll post some pics later because the battery died on the cell phone and can't send or upload the pic. Anyway here are questions. 1) The egg had a small hole in the narrow end of it. Nothing was coming out of it so would it be safe to eat? 2) I've not started them on laying crumbles yet but I can easily go get some today as the store nearby sells some. But, I also have a rooster so what type of feed to I need to get to make sure he's eating well too? I've read here that Flock Raiser is recommended for a flock of all ages but what about with the rooster and layers? 3) I can get the feed from the store nearby and it's from a mill in the next county over. Do local mills tend to be as "good" as Layena, Dumour, etc? I wrote down the ingredients for the starter/grower/finisher (it was a bag that covered all three stages if I'm not mistaken) and there was no processed stuff in it. I didn't have time to write down the ingredients of the laying feed so I don't really know what is in it. I think the price is pretty comparable. I'm assuming I need to start some laying/different feed pretty quick since I did get the first egg. Anyway those were my questions and spreading our happy news!

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
Your birds should be on Layer feed now with some oyster shell available free-choice (for good, strong egg shells). The rooster can eat the same thing as the layers.

I wouldn't eat that egg, but I'm a rather-safe-than-sorry type. I'd be afraid that any number of types of bacteria may have gotten in there. Not worth the risk to me.

Congrats on your first egg!

 

[OrloffTom]

Here is a pic of it and you can see the little hole in the end. Anyone have an info about the local mill feed versus "name brand" feed?

 

[tuesdays chicks]

i added a layign hen to my back then 8 week old pullets and got her layer pellets but she was ignoring the layer pellets and eating the chick starter. so I went to the feed store and they recommended flock raiser for a mixed flock. they have all been eating that since, My hen hasn't been ill effected by eating that and she still lays 5 or 6 eggs a week, usually 5 though, heat of the summer and all. and no I haven't added oyster shell but I'm in florida and I dont know how much shell is in the sand to be honest i would like to talk to someone who raised chickens 50 to 70 years ago and ask them what they fed their birds way back then. I bet it wasn't layer pellets, and I know that the super market large eggs are alot smaller then they used to be. sometimes whats new isn't always better.

 

[GeeVee]

i hope someone else will answer who is maybe more knowledgeable, but i am not so sure i'd eat the egg with a hole in it. we occasionally get those (we have a pecker!) and never eat them because it provides an opening for all sorts of bacteria to get in and grow. sorry, im sure you were very excited to eat the first egg! i also know that cooking kills a lot of bacteria, so i guess it is just up to you!

 

[emys]

If you just wash that egg with the hole side down, no water and soap will get in. Then dry gently and open that hole up a little bigger. Any dirt in there? If not cook it up and eat it! If there is, you can still hard boil immediately if you want to eat it...just don't store it for any length of time.

Your hens need calcium, but that doesn't mean layer feed for all if you don't want it to. Lots of folks feed a flock raiser type food and supplement with greens and oyster shell. Just ask about protein content of your local feed. Should be a minimum of 16% for layers. Flock Raiser types are 20% protein.

(The reason there is a hole in that one is because it is thin shelled. Get some calcium supplement in there tonight, and use up the rest of your feed as normal.)

 

[OrloffTom]

Thanks so much for you responses. Sadly I wasn't able to go out tonight and get the other feed but I am going tomorrow to get some! I was figuring it was because of a thin shell that there was the hole

. I am not sure what route I will take when it comes to the food. I'll try to do a little reading tonight and see what I come up with. I know that for every ten people they probably all feed a variety of ten different feeds lol. I do, thank you all again for your help!

 

[Boo-Boo's Mama]

I feed Purina Flock Raiser because just a few of my 22 girls are laying at this time. I keep a tuna can of oyster shell/eggshells available by the feeder for those who 'need' it.

Good Luck!