Thin shelled sandpapery eggs then none? Molting, food change, sick?

[rosco]

are you supplementing them with calcium and phosphorus?

if you are supplementing them, are they consuming enough?

if supplemented, then maybe look into "egg drop syndrome."

 

[rosco]

totally off your question, but be careful of the shavings and i'd totally not use grass clippings for bedding.

if you are not overly worried about chemicals and are okay not to eat eggs for a while, Seven dust feathers and bedding (after changing and cleaning roosting area). you can use DE (diatomaceous earth) but you'll need to wear a dust mask as with the Seven Dust. there is a ton of confusion about DE. first, the labeling rarely matches the true origin. non of it is organic for purposes is poulty. it was only allowed for a time as a filtering agent in an organic "processing facility." if you hear of food grade DE, report it to your state's ag dept. or FDA. DE works by clogging the spiracles on the insects (lice, mites, etc). don't believe the snake oil claims. it is a filler, not a cure, when used orally.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Yes, it is possible for chickens to lay while moulting. I would expect more abnormal eggs at that time.

A lot of people give their chickens grass clippings, but it does sometimes cause problems. Might be best to hold off on this for a while at least.

Could be that someone is not getting enough calcium with the flock raiser because she does not eat the oyster shell, especially since someone seems to be moulting and laying at the same time. Perhaps offer both or mix them.

After they are through moulting I'd consider worming if I were you. JMO. Probably all chickens have some worms; it's a matter of what the quantity is.

 

[elieugene6]

Yeah, responses. Thank you so much. Now to answer questions.

1. The majority of their bedding is straw with shavings, and by shavings I meant the stuff that you buy at tsc as horse bedding I guess technically its more like wood chips. I don't use cedar or pine. As I have heard they are bad. The grass clippings are technically not grass either. I probably should have been more specific. My dad brushhogs a section of the hayfeild every few days for the rabbits, I take some and toss it in for the chickens to pick through. I consider it grass but you would consider it fresh hay. I don't leave a ton of it in as hay can become moldy. Some however does inevitably get left behind. We were planning on cleaning it all out in about a month and adding fresh shavings as we use the deep litter method for winter.

2. They do receive free choice oyster shell. I didn't know about phosphorus. Where do you get it? I have recently started topdressing w/the oyster shell as I was afraid they weren't getting enough calcium. They also receive yogurt a few times a week. I thought it would be easier to use flock raiser for everyone but if that is what caused it I would rather just have more bags. This is a pain in the rear. When I was using the layer pellets I still had an egg eater until I got the oyster shell, I however know that she is laying perfect eggs right now as she prefers a nest box in the other barn and she is the only one to use it.

3. I do have some all purpose dusting powder that contains pyrethrins. I use it on my goats to slow down the flies and it is labeled for poultry use. I want to worm them but have heard that I have to use wazine first, as they haven't ever been dewormed. This takes convincing for my dad as he doesn't want to have to toss his eggs. His chickens are with mine and cannot be separated. I am contemplating saving my eggs for a week or so and switching them out for his for the amount of time needed. He is old school and doesn't believe I should spend/waste the money on worming chickens. I consider his chickens mine as he only has 3 and I feed them for the most part. They are just his eggs. He doesn't care which eggs he gets as long as he gets a couple a day. The ee is the one in the hard molt.

4. There are 3 geese that sleep in the roosting area at night only, will any of these things I will be doing harm them? I can lock them out for a time if needed.

5. Mommy barn kitty just moved her kitties in there anything I should worry about? I can remove when I first put the dust down, they are about 5 wks old. The cat won't drink the water with the wazine in it will she? I cannot keep her out of there. Their morning yard (for before I get up) is open into the goats pen and despite all the fortification to keep her out of it she can still get in by getting on the roof. I don't mind to much as she doesn't bother anything but the mice.

6. The roo pen is seperate from the rest but in the same building. It does contain a couple bunnies. Would the dust harm them? They can also be kept out while the dust is being applied as they have shelter in their outdoor yard. Those roos are almost ready for freezer camp so should I just wait a wk or two and then do the dust/worming that way I don't have to worry about them?

7. Am I most likely just having problems with worms, mites, lice or deficiencies? Those I can deal with. I try to practice good bio-security. So the thought that they could be getting sick made me sick. No one acts sick. Its just an egg thing. The one that was staying on the roost hasn't been doing it today. So I hope it was just the fact that it was extremely dark yesterday as it was stormy/cloudy. She was the first one out the door this morning. I don't like to have to worm and use poisons but I will do it if it is necessary. They don't have any other signs that I can see normal poop fairly bright colorful feathers. No scratching and nothing visible.

Thank you again for all of the responses it is greatly appreciated!

 

[rosco]

address the Ca2+ and phosphorous - crushed oyster shells provide both. just make sure they are eating it. i had some that wouldn't touch it so i had to start feeding layer pellets.

on the thin and sandpapery eggs i found this:
Incidence

The incidence of these eggs varies from about 0.5 to 6%. They are commonly produced by pullets coming into lay, particularly by birds that have matured early. Some birds continue to lay this type of egg.
... the table doesn't paste well. here is a link to an informative table: http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/1/egg-quality-handbook/16/thinshelled-eggs-and-shellless-eggs

about the moldy hay/grass/chips. mold gives me a slight headache and mild fever. it can get worse. just keep down the dust and make sure it is dry. although, i'd guess using nothing would be better than anything that'd carry mold. in winter, when freezing, i use it knowing mold is inactive. but that may still be risky.