Scratches on eggs!!! Help!

[crazyforchicks]

These are a good example of the eggs I have been getting from my girls. I was wondering what people thought was going on. It looks to me like they are pecking at them, also the one on the left looks like it has blood smears on it maybe. but you judge. I was just hoping for any ideas on how to fix this? I know these are fresh eggs because I gather often. They have lots of layer mash,scratch, also oyster shell in the food and free choice. The nest boxes are straw but seem soft. I tried to use pine shavings but the next day I found that they had only laid their eggs in the one box that still had some straw in it.... silly girls

 

[pontoosuc]

Not sure if your layers are pullets or not, mine are (hatched 5/2010)

I have fake wooden eggs and golf balls in my nesting boxes. Many times I witness the girls going in to get ready to lay
and will move those fake eggs around with their beaks to just the right place under their breast!
Also, some of my young pullets, when they first begin to lay with break a blood vessel and have a little tiny bit of blood
on their eggs.

I'm sure more experienced folks will soon chime in.

 

[ND]

It just kinda looks like maybe they were moved around a bit after laying. Not necessarily pecking...but maybe.
I have some hens that will roll the egg around, sit on it for a little while after laying (not broody) and then I have some that insist on moving any eggs they find in the nest box in the 'wrong spot' to their more preferred spot.

The scratching might have happened a lot gentler than you think, too. I mean, I've actually picked up an egg nearly immediately after being laid-- still wet with "bloom", and if/when I do that, and I disrupt the bloom, it'll look mottled when dried where I touched it... or even scratched where I inadvertently 'cut thru' the bloom before drying. If they laid it and started moving it around a bit... it'd most likely end up scratched looking...

I can't tell whether that's blood or not. That can be normal if there is.

 

[Jajika]

If the scratching continues, you may want
to try and spread out the laying space a bit.

The spots are nothing. Often eggs come out with funny spots
and little bumps.

Again, if you can spread them out, see if that helps.

Otherwise I would not be too concerned. If they want to "eat" the eggs, they will. Different problem.

 

[swimmer]

My vote is they are moving the eggs around. I've watched my girls after they lay. Sometimes they roll them around, or they'll lay and the next one in line goes into the nest box and moves they eggs around.
If they were pecking at them, they would most likely break them. Wouldn't worry.

 

[Lbrad7]

The eggs look to me like they were from a Marans. If that is the case, Marans "paint" their eggs right before they exit the hen with the darker color. The dark brown color does not run through the egg shell, it is just a coating. You can actually wash it off with a wash cloth and some soap and water. When they are still wet and hit the laying material in the nest it sticks to them. When you pull the straw off or they roll around in the nest it leaves those marks.

There is really not much you can do about it that I know of. You could try and gather the eggs right after laying or experiment with different nesting materials but the "paint" is kind of sticky until it drys so I think pretty much anything you use will stick to them. Some others on this site may have some ideas but that is my guess as to what is causing your scratches. (LOL at least if you raise Marans or Welsummers..if not I dont have a clue)

 

[crazyforchicks]

Quote:
Thank you very much for that tip, they are black copper marans. The other day I gathered an egg that was still warm and it did not have these marks, that would make sense that it would be the 'paint' on the egg. Thanks. Just want to see a pretty egg that is not spoiled by the girls.

Thanks

 

[Lbrad7]

Quote:
Thank you very much for that tip, they are black copper marans. The other day I gathered an egg that was still warm and it did not have these marks, that would make sense that it would be the 'paint' on the egg. Thanks. Just want to see a pretty egg that is not spoiled by the girls.

Thanks

Glad I could help! I have a few FBCM along with a few Welsummers and I love getting those dark brown or the terra cotta colored eggs. My egg customers love them too!

Hope you have a Happy New Year!!!

James