Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[ajayb]

One of my hens - I suspect one of the 18 month old hylines - has been laying eggs with a powdery coating for the last week or so. If you wipe the egg, the coating is still there when it dries again.

 

All the non-special breeds (ie eight) of my chooks have been consistently laying an egg a day throughout the winter and they get a good mixed diet (including yoghourt, warm porridge, fresh corn and tuna in addition to layers pellets, oats & grains) with plenty of oyster grit plus they free range all day, every day.

 

Should I be concerned about this? I don't see any signs of illness in behaviour or droppings.

Edited January 10, 2010 by Guest

[Leicester_H]

Mine have done this from time to time - it has never led to a problem.

I'm sure someone(more knowledgable) will reply soon

 

H

[Forge Cottage]

Our Mabel laid one like that last week (like a fine white dusting all over, except for a couple of scuff marks) and her eggs often have a pale hint on the tail end of the shell. If you wipe with a damp cloth etc, the white returns again when dry.

 

The eggs themselves are perfect and I think it is simply from her special coating department... Certainly nothing to worry about. We find that if she has a rest day (not often!), her next egg is slightly darker, with no pale sign. It does make her eggs more distinctive.