Winter Eggs Issues?

[mamachula]

Hello good chicken people!
So it's very cold and snowy where we are (CA mtns) and the chickens have not been free ranging too much for obvious reasons. Today we got a couple of funky looking eggs, assuming it's due to changes in diet and cold. Odd colors, thin, leathery eggshell texture... anyone seen eggs like this? Seems that maybe they freeze? Normal in winter, yea?

 

[PirateGirl]

This is not typical of what happens to eggs that have frozen before you collect them. Frozen eggs will look the same as normal eggs, but will be cracked/split open. Here is a photo from the internet...

 

[IamRainey]

The dark one is kinda pretty and certainly unique. I'd be trying to figure out how I could get my girls to repeat it!

I'm sure it will pass. Meanwhile, if you think a change in diet is part of it, I feed my chickens (who don't free range) a daily bag of Trader Joe's shredded cabbage. Naturally, you could just shred up cabbage yourself (I would if TJs sold whole cabbages) but for $1.29 a bag it's so easy to pick up a dozen bags when I'm in there.

As for the "leathery" shells, are they getting enough calcium? They should have oyster shell and/or cleaned eggshells available all the time. You certainly want strong protective shells.

 

[mamachula]

Yea, we're gona try to up the calcium for winter - cheese, milk... see if it passes. Thanks!

 

[PirateGirl]

Because of the way calcium is metabolized and eggs are produced, adding milk to their diet is not likely going to solve your shell problems.

This is a good read about chickens and calcium and easy to understand.

https://the-chicken-chick.com/for-strong-eggshells-size-matters/

You really need to add oyster shell on the side if they do not have it already.

 

[SueT]

I agree w the oyster shell recommendation. And are you feeding them actual chicken feed? What kind?
It's cold and snowy here and our eggs are normal.

 

[cmom]

Yea, we're gona try to up the calcium for winter - cheese, milk... see if it passes. Thanks!

I put oyster shells and granite grit in their feed once in awhile which many people won't agree with but it works for me. The grit is because I give them grains and seeds as treats. They take what they want. Every once in a great while I will get similar eggs. It a quirk of nature.

 

[PirateGirl]

I wouldn't worry too much provided the eggs don't continue to look odd!

 

[mamachula]

I agree w the oyster shell recommendation. And are you feeding them actual chicken feed? What kind?
It's cold and snowy here and our eggs are normal.

We feed them layer feed, plus scratch, plus a ton of compost munchies, plus dirt and grass and bugs when they can get out to range... we'll see how the eggs look the next couple of days. Thx!

 

[mamachula]

We feed them layer feed, plus scratch, plus a ton of compost munchies, plus dirt and grass and bugs when they can get out to range... we'll see how the eggs look the next couple of days. Thx!

They also eat up pieces of their own crushed eggshells in the compost...