Wantchooks Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 Have just increased my flock of two brown hens to six, by adding four bluehaze,which I believe are bluebelles. Had them for two weeks and after most of the last couple of weeks involved a bit of squabbling they have all settled down, although I don't think they will ever be best friends! I am now getting between 4-6 eggs most days....and have come to realise thatat least 2 of the 4 of the new chooks eggs smell fishy! Thought it was an older egg, but now dating and checking and there is something not nice! Nothing apparent with the health of the hens, although one came with a runny yellow poo which now seems ok, and one of my original hens was very poorly for 2 days this week - but their eggs are fine. They are all on garvo mash, and the new ones have only tentatively FR'd in the earth o/s the run. Advice please! I haven't a clue who is doing it! Have looked at the link but not much practical help really. Should I try to segregate to find out which ones are laying the fishy one? Should I go back to the breeder with the four of them- a very well respected breeder. I can't just leave it and chuck them as I find them, as there are too many being thrown, and I can hardly sell the surplus on to people at the moment as I was doing........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 Might be worth trying a different feed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wantchooks Posted April 9, 2011 Author Share Posted April 9, 2011 Would that not affect all the chooks though? One seems to be instantly fishy, another there is but a faint whiff - could live with that! How long would it take to show a difference if I did change the food? Am now engaged in furtive nest box stalking - feels slightly voyeuristic and not right...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFeatheredFiend Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 If this were a human I'd say it sounds like a fungal infection, y'know, down there which often has a distinctive fishy smell. A trip to the vet is in order. It might be as simple as a course of canisten. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 I would also think about whether it is dietary. Is there anyway that the way your eggs are stored could be doing this? Is there any odour like this coming from any of the hens? Are you adding any garlic or anything like that to their food? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Are you using a feed that has added Omega three wotsits? It could just be that one of you hens isn't as well able to process certain nutrients the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wantchooks Posted April 10, 2011 Author Share Posted April 10, 2011 Thanks for your replies.... 1)They are not stored at all...now I have sussed the problem I am cracking them to find the smelly one once cooled from the nest box. 2)Have changed food from Garvo 730 layers mash to Saracen pellets. They are all glaring at me! Will check the garvo label ...hadn't thought of one hen being adverse to omega 3. 3) No added other bits either, like garlic 4) Vet not an option at this stage..... the hen is running around perfectly happy, eating and drinking and flying over the fence (!) and the last time I enquired about the fee for the vet to see a chicken before he even did anything I had the vapours! 5) I did eat yesterdays egg hardpoached by the way....the white tasted a bit metallic but the yolk was fine. Haven't dropped down yet! we'll see what happens with the feed change..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wantchooks Posted April 10, 2011 Author Share Posted April 10, 2011 Oh and Chucky Mama.....didn't think about sniffing the vent but I see your point. Will try to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 I think the dietary change would be the best plan. I don't see that a vet can help at this point so I wouldn't go down that route just yet Trouble is once you smell things like this it is difficult not to smell it if you see what I mean (at least it is for me anyway - I can't smell a baby wipe without smelling various baby discharges ) Make sure your neighbours can't see you if you decide to go 'vent sniffing' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wantchooks Posted April 10, 2011 Author Share Posted April 10, 2011 My neighbours keep chickens anyway......and they are also think I am barking mad so they probably would not notice anything different. Of course, now I have put all six onto pellets from a different manufacturer, one of my original hens has decided she is not going to eat pellets, no way! To difficult to segregate them..... Oh dear, feel several trips to the farm store coming up and small bags of mash to please everyone over the next couple of weeks to see if it is dietary. Have also removed the oyster shell and oyster grit and replaced it with mixed chick grit - another possible source of fishiness? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFeatheredFiend Posted April 10, 2011 Share Posted April 10, 2011 Vet not an option at this stage...the last time I enquired about the fee for the vet to see a chicken before he even did anything I had the vapours!Really? I know everyone has a different idea of what 'expensive' means, but when Diva got frothy eyes we took her to the vet and it cost £25 including consultation and enough antibiotics to treat the whole flock of six birds for seven days. Seemed like a bargain to me to ensure the health of our girls! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted April 11, 2011 Share Posted April 11, 2011 No expert but a friend with chucks who had probs "down there" aka ladies probs mixed Yakult in with feed - did trick - this was a hen destined to the great run in the sky. The hen was sickly thou and looked it whereas yours sounds like she may have a personal hygiene prob. Just thought might be worth a try - see what the experts think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 Very odd Don't know what to suggest though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wantchooks Posted April 26, 2011 Author Share Posted April 26, 2011 Well the two weeks is up and a diet of Dodson and Horrell and yakult and fingers crossed the smell seems to have gone! I now have a new bag of garvo unopened....tempted to give it another go later but prob will NOT to try and reintroduce it when the above has gone in case, so will have to put it on ebay! I now have a hiccuping hen but that seems to be another whole thread!! Thanks for everyone's suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Glad the smells gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daxigirl Posted May 3, 2011 Share Posted May 3, 2011 Boy this forum makes me cry laughing with some of the things that get written about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
