Something clinging to the outside of my hens eggs?

[andyboro]

Hi,

Im not sure if this is something or not to be honest but due to the poor condition of my new hens im worrying about everything!

We picked up 5 new hens from a local farm shop last weekend - all were smelly, balding and generally in poor condition (i guess thats what you get when they're 5 for £10!), one has subsequently died and one has Gapeworm which they are all now being treat for.

we have one that is now laying but she has something on the outside of her eggs which is concerning me. . there are clusters of small, white specks (they look like id expect some sort of parasite egg to look. . . but that may just be my paranoia). they aren't part of the shell and scrape off fairly easily.

I've spent the last hour googling it but cant find anything even slightly similar!

Has anyone else had this or have any idea what (if anything) it is?

thanks


Andy.

P.S the farm shop has already been reported for the poor health and condition of the Hens.

 

[theoldchick]

May be lice eggs?

 

[andyboro]

I thought that. . Would they be likely to cling to the eggs?

 

[andyboro]

Someone else has suggested that it may be too much calcium in her diet?

Would be nice for it to not be anything serious.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Egg Quality Handbook
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/ourbooks/1/egg-quality-handbook/

This is almost certainly nothing serious. Look through the shell defects in the egg quality handbook to find photos of various things it might be to find something that matches what you are seeing. Remember, these defects concern selling eggs, so these are basically cosmetic defects. They don’t affect the eggs safety or quality at all. Lots of us get this type of stuff all the time. It’s nothing to worry about.

It is absolutely not lice eggs. Lice eggs are on the feathers around the vent, not on eggs. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to do an internet search for lice eggs on chickens to get some photos so you know what to look for. You should occasionally check them for mites and lice, just as a matter of course, but these are not lice eggs.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

See picture at link. If that's what you're talking about, it's supposedly caused by too much calcium in their diet. Might just be a one-time kind of thing.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9kW2KPLvD...rlx6hhDNI/s400/Pimpled+egg+1-9-12+%282%29.JPG

 

[andyboro]

Thats it exactly! Thanks very much

Weve had more trouble with these girls in 8 days than we had in 18 months with the last flock, lets hope that's the end of it.