Author Topic: Advice for wrinkley eggs (Read 2374 times)

Janette1970 · « **on:** November 02, 2009, 02:45:35 pm »

Please can anyone advise me. 1 or 2 of my girls are laying wrinkley shelled eggs that are very thin.
I've read all sorts of info and am a little bamboozled as to what the problem is.
Has anyone tried anything and successfully combated the problem (if there is one).

My chooks have access to grass and plenty of scratting ground. They have fresh water every day and they are fed on layers pellets. They are just getting interested in corn (wheat). I do feed them the occasional plate full of oats although we've had another warmish spell here so I've layed off the 'warming grain' now their feathers are returning (ex-batts!!)

One site suggested grit to help break down the calcium. I don't offer them grit as they tend to peck at the ground alot. When I have a batch of shells ready I roast them, crush them and feed them back to the hens.
Another site suggested bronchitis. I've ordered some citricidal to put in their water.

Is there anything else I should be doing?
I clean them out every day, handpicking the poop out of the nest boxes and coop floor.

My girls all seem very healthy, I can see them now all pecking and scratting up and down the river bank. I can't walk though their enclosure without one or other of them sitting on my welly!!!

They really do seem to be having a GREAT time in their new home.

One thing does concern me though. They stay out in the rain! Is this normal? Should I be shutting them away if they are not sensible enough to take shelter?

Thanks for looking

shetlandpaul · « **Reply #1 on:** November 02, 2009, 02:57:40 pm »

how old are they. you get thinner eggs with age. the odd shaped eggs may be down to shocks or being spooked by something. give extra shell and a multi vit and it may resolve. if they are for your use it does not matter. have they been wormed. you would know if they were sick with either of those illnesses.

Janette1970 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 02, 2009, 03:10:01 pm »

Thanks Paul, I would imagine they were about 18 months when the farm got rid of them in September so that makes them about 19/20 months. Would I be right in thinking there would be some physical evidence in their poop if they had worms such as dead worms or red flecks?!?!? They are a little 'loose' but not dihoreah.

My neighbour did loan me a run that was placed in their enclosure. This blew over in the storm on Sunday (yesterday!!) and slid down the riverbank landing on their coop!!! This could have spooked them.

I don't sell the eggs so it isn't a problem for us. I end up giving them away as presents. My friends and family love their little extra pressy

although I don'tgive them the wrinkley ones!!

Roxy · « **Reply #3 on:** November 02, 2009, 03:25:53 pm »

I have some battery hens who lay very wrinkley eggs - I use the eggs myself and do not sell them, so its not a problem. They have always laid eggs like this, so doubt I can change them now. As to thin shelled ones, again, some ex batterys do lay those, but I have managed to sort that by adding limestone flour to their feeds a couple of times a week until the shells were ok again. You can get a tub of this at the agricultrual merchants or horse feed shop, I think its around £4.50 for quite a decent size tub, so it will last ages.

shetlandpaul · « **Reply #4 on:** November 02, 2009, 03:57:16 pm »

you will only see the worms if its a very high load. i would treat every three months and yes anything can put them off. its one reason that the factory farms get rid off them. the shops expect a certain thickness of shell.

Roxy · « **Reply #5 on:** November 02, 2009, 07:56:01 pm »

Sometimes in the supermarket, I have seen quite a few boxes of cracked eggs -but I suppose, given the conditions the battery hens live in stometimes, its not surprising their eggs have thin shells. I remember a while back, one of the supermarkets were grumbling about the eggs they were getting

ellisr · « **Reply #6 on:** November 08, 2009, 01:54:53 pm »

You can also roast the egg shells you have used crush them and feed them back to them, this has helped friends of mine. I have been lucky and never had mishapen or thin shells so I have not had the need to give them any extra to what they get now.
I do advise the regular worming just for there general health, and a good handful of greens a couple of times a week (I use the discarded leaves from the veg patch) this always is welcomed by all the animals including the geese.