The Egg Anomalies Thread

[2x2farming]

What a cute olive egg! EE is my best guess on her, but it is a guess. EE can look like anything, as they are a mix. "Typical" EE have the muffs and beards, but it depends on what genetics they have. Olive egger appearance also depends on what breeds the hatchery mixes together. You can call her an olive egger if you want to, since she definitely lays olive.

Sorry about your human aggressive roo. He is a beauty, and will be tasty. I'm glad you have a plan to keep everyone human safe.

Well, I have a photo of her because she was laying in the box all snug like a bug and snapping at me to get away from her eggs. That being said, when she got up… all that was in the box was brown eggs and the warmest one of all was one I thought had been coming from my Bielefelders. So NOW I am at a complete loss and feel like they are playing tricks on me. And to note, she does not normally have a naked neck. She molted and then never grew them back. I think it was stress. We just got rid of our butthole rooster and I’m hoping she grows them back now. Poor girl looks like she has a mullet and mutton chops.

 

[FunClucks]

Well, I have a photo of her because she was laying in the box all snug like a bug and snapping at me to get away from her eggs. That being said, when she got up… all that was in the box was brown eggs and the warmest one of all was one I thought had been coming from my Bielefelders. So NOW I am at a complete loss and feel like they are playing tricks on me. And to note, she does not normally have a naked neck. She molted and then never grew them back. I think it was stress. We just got rid of our butthole rooster and I’m hoping she grows them back now. Poor girl looks like she has a mullet and mutton chops.

What a cute chicken!!! When I am wanting to know for sure what color a bird lays as soon as possible, I lock them in the isolation cage for a day or two. As soon as they lay an egg, I know for sure who did it. My isolation cage is in the covered run, so they are with their friends, but separate. Whether she lays olive or brown, that is a beautiful egg!!!

Also, it looks like your girl is being groomed by another bird. The feathers missing beneath her chin are often signs of grooming - someone else is plucking out her feathers (she can't reach them so it's not her). Might be happening on the roost at night where you can't see them. If they have been plucked and not eaten, they should grow back once she's separated from whoever is doing it, given enough time. Looks plucked to me. I'd check the protein level of your food, and increase it for the entire flock - recommendation is 18% or higher. Sometimes feather eating is a symptom of low protein, sometimes it's a bad habit that can caused by stress, sometimes they just do it.

 

[2x2farming]

What a cute chicken!!! When I am wanting to know for sure what color a bird lays as soon as possible, I lock them in the isolation cage for a day or two. As soon as they lay an egg, I know for sure who did it. My isolation cage is in the covered run, so they are with their friends, but separate. Whether she lays olive or brown, that is a beautiful egg!!!

Also, it looks like your girl is being groomed by another bird. The feathers missing beneath her chin are often signs of grooming - someone else is plucking out her feathers (she can't reach them so it's not her). Might be happening on the roost at night where you can't see them. If they have been plucked and not eaten, they should grow back once she's separated from whoever is doing it, given enough time. Looks plucked to me. I'd check the protein level of your food, and increase it for the entire flock - recommendation is 18% or higher. Sometimes feather eating is a symptom of low protein, sometimes it's a bad habit that can caused by stress, sometimes they just do it.

Ergh.. good to know. Thank you! I know they were all stressed when we first moved but we’ve since built them a large enclosure and they get so much more freedom now. But I do think their roost is too small and we’ve been working on a bigger one for them so I bet what you said is spot on about it happening at the roost. I know our mean rooster wasn’t helping, and adding stress among all the girls. Thank you for the tips!!