chickens

[yellowjacket]

Idk if anyone else here has chickens but tsc and southern states couldn't answer me...

I got 6 that are about a year and a half old. And gradually they are laying eggs that are cracked in a spiderweb pattern. Tsc suggested giving them oystershells and ss said give them leftover eggshells. Nothing is helping, actually getting worse. Now the majority of eggs I get every day are cracked. Started a couple months ago if that helps.. they get plenty of water and regular chicken food and they free range when I'm home.

Anyone out there have chickens or know someone to ask?

[hotrod]

Are they just getting corn food or are they getting an egg layer blend? we have about 20 chickens and 2 roosters and they get both daily.

[humpy]

Yellowfaggot email this guy.... Jlay3@woh.rr.com. My mom has 9 million chickens and thinks your chicks have a diet issue...she said that guy knows everything about chickens... U can also check www.backyardchickens.com

[yellowjacket]

Hr.. yeah its the layer type food. Crumbles that tsc sells. Same as they always eat.

Humpy. I don't like your nickname for me :rolleyes: maybe it was amusing to me when mike rattled it off but its gettin old and a little offensive... thanx.. I have been on chicken websites.that one also. But what I got out of it was same as farm stores recomended.. oyster shells and eggshells and some dry gravel.. but been doin that and not helpin.
Back in spring we started getting them cracked occasionally. Thought maybe one chicken had a prob but like I said most of them are cracked anymore.

[twiztedzuki]

this thread reminds me of a joke! why did the kentuckian cross the road!??:D

[boomhauer]

to kick a buckeye's ass for making jokes?!!!

[humpy]

Lmao! WOW!:rolleyes:

[twiztedzuki]

nope cause his **** was in the chicken!!!

[jwend]

nope cause his **** was in the chicken!!!

So Rob sounds like he found the root to yer cracked egg prob... Must be chickens sorry for the dudes comment............. Mud

[jfiscus]

we just got 98 chickens about a month ago. From what I've read put plenty of the oystershells out for them (available at TSC), and also get some seperate "protein" in a bag from TSC. We have been having some of the same trouble with not much improvement from adding the oyster shells. We will be trying the protein additive this weekend when I get by TSC. Also, make sure in this heat that you have plenty of water available to them, I thought one waterer would be enough but I will be adding another to their ranging area just to be sure.

[yellowjacket]

Jfiscus ill try that. I agree it must be somethin to do w there diet. Ill look today when I go to tsc

[RuffedUpXJ]

That's a lot of chikens Jaosn. How much a dozen eggs cost?

[jfiscus]

lol, meant to just post 8 chickens. Was typing 9, then thought I deleted to post 8 (one got out & disappearred). Not enough eggs to sell any yet. Will probably get another 5 or so soon though, need more eggs.

[BiggDaddy]

You got any answers to this yet? I asked a girl I work with that raises some chickens. She gave a quick background that I have never heard of, but it kind of makes sense. Here goes!

When a hen lays an egg, she'll peck at it with her beak. She wants to make sure she's got a good egg there before she sits on it for a few days. This may explain why you've got the cracks in the eggs, or atleast where they come from. She also mentioned that if the hen is able to crack the eggs, then you probably need to adjust their diet. My dad always used oyster shells, as mentioned above. There was always a pile of gravel in the chicken coop as well. We'd get a couple of soft-shelled eggs every once in a while when the hens first started laying, but within a couple of weeks, they were always good eggs. Good luck.

Like I said, not sure if this is true or not, but it does seem to make sense.

BiggDaddy

[yellowjacket]

Nah. Its not an actual hole... its more like a spiderweb cracked in a circular pattern on only on side. So far nothing suggested is working.... been a week..

[Flxratd]

i dont know nothing about chickens but if its only on one side are they laying them standing up. seriously can it be something like needing a softer nest or something. like i said i know zero about it but just trying to help you think.

[yellowjacket]

Hmmmmm.........