Some of my eggs smell bad while cooking...

[WalkingOnSunshine]

I just noticed that you said SOME of your eggs stink. Since it's only some of them, not all of them, I'd think a weed was the culprit since only some of your hens are eating it.

Check your property for garlic mustard. Also, ramps or other forms of wild onion/ wild chives. I dont' think chickens are stupid enough to eat skunk cabbage, but that would do it, too.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

This thread is over three years old.

Most off flavors in eggs are caused by volatile sulphur compounds such as those that cause the strong smell of onion, garlic, and cabbage.

Whether there is enough sulphur in corn to produce an odor is doubtful since corn is a staple of layer rations. Perhaps if the feed is old or slightly fermented these compounds could be intensified.

We feed our hens an organic layer ration consisting of of corn, field peas, soybean meal, and small grains such as wheat and barley. I have had a few comments that our eggs have a "buttery" flavor not found in regular store eggs.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

This thread is over three years old.

Blarg, I never notice when someone's bumped the really old ones up.

 

[camelotchickens]

Fish meal? is that in your pellets?

In Australia our shell grit is made mainly of crushed pippi shells from the beach not oysters.

On that stinky topic - People are a great indicator - ever smelt someone who eats too much garlic? phew.

My husband brings home bone meal from his butchers shop (shavings caught in the ban saw during the day) the chickens love it. All that fish/meat/bone gives eggs that strong flavour. Maybe alkalize their diet. I did an alkalizing diet and didn't have to hardly wear deoderant.

 

[aggiemae]

Fish meal? is that in your pellets?

It's a locally sources mixed feed that contains shrimp and fish meal that we use to make things easy when we have a "critter sitters" minding our animals. The chickens love it and I don't notice any change in the taste of the eggs.

Our girls like bone meal and when we can get them, marrow bones that we have sliced into 3" chunks.

I use finely crushed egg shells to supplement calcium.

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Fish meal is a pretty common source of protein in animal feeds. It's mostly commercially fished menhaden that is processed for fish oil and meal for animal feeds. Too much of it will definitely gives eggs an off flavor.

 

[paxtonwife]

i have been dealing with bad tasting eggs for over a year now... they state ands mell like dirt... i have gotten some that the whites were bitter... i have come to realize it only happens this time of year when its hot out... maybe when im spraying down the ground and they scratch in the mud n stuff they are taking in the dirt? this is depressing i cooked up 7 eggs today from different hens and they all taste and smell bad... could it be the self waterer i used to use a water that i washed and refilled everyday till it got monotonous and last year i bought a self waterer where the hose is hooked to it. =(

 

[LindaB220]

Your chickens are getting too much corn in their feed ration, which is often the case in prepackaged chicken feed. Too much corn will produce a stinky sort of sulpher smell in the eggs. Try mixing other grains with your feed, and offering pelleted alfalfa when fresh greens are not available. Remember, Chickens are NOT vegetarians, their natural diet consists of LOTS of bugs, you can purchase worm casings and other such things to supplement this natural part of their diet.

Good to have you. I agree with adding lots of bugs. They love it. I don't use much corn because I don't care for GMO products and can't afford the better. A little scratch maybe. I ferment all my feeds and it saves so much money and the eggs taste better.

Edited for content: Just noticed that this is an old post. I welcomed Layo more Eggo because he had one post. But he was attacked and totally scared off. It's a shame to lose a potential good visitor by saying one newbie gaffe.

 

[benlren10]

I have a chicken doing the same thing. I have 5 hens. One (possibly 2?) is laying awful smelling eggs. when you crack them, yea it is rotten. But they look completely normal. i accidentally (before I really realized it) cooked some and one of them in the scrambled mix was bad and it was very gross.

I use 100% organic NON CORN or soy feed...

I thought maybe a hen is sick? has some kind of infection that could do that?

 

[Ila88]

This is an interesting thread. I searched it because I had to buy eggs when my hens were molting. I noticed some had a strong, chicken poop smell. I have to say, since raising my own, I am much more picky about where my eggs come from. My question is, do fertilized eggs have a smell?