Keeping my lone hen warm

[jacquimackenzie]

I have kept chickens for about three years and have never had a problem with the taste of the eggs until recently. A couple of days ago I cooked hard boiled eggs for lunch for the family and everyone complained that their eggs tasted bitter and we were eating eggs from more than one chicken. Needless to say, we decided not to eat any more of them! The eggs we ate had been stored in the fridge and were about one week old so should have been OK to eat. Today I hard boiled a newly laid egg and it tasted the same but some of the white was a greyish colour as well. The chickens appear well in themselves, has this happened to anyone else, what could be causing it?

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Welcome to the forum . The only thing I can think of is that they've become tainted by something in the fridge. How about keeping your eggs out of the fridge for a few days and see if they are still bitter?

[Egluntyne]

Have you changed their feed recently, or have they had access to a new area of the garden and have sampled different vegetation?

 

I'd check the date on the feed sack to see if it has gone past its use by date.

[Henchanted]

I like a good mystery.....

 

So is this the first time you have had hard boiled eggs from your hens in 3 years? I

 

f yes, then may I ask how long you boiled them for, as if you over-boil eggs you will get a grey layer between the yolk and the white and a sulphuric (farty) smell

 

If not, think what you did differently this time to previously. It sounds more like contamination, perhaps from the pan or the water they were boiled in or rinsed in afterwards?

 

Eggs will begin to degrade after about 3 weeks if kept outside the fridge and will last an extra week longer if kept in the fridge, so it is unlikely to be that (unless you wash your eggs, which is not recommended as they are laid with a natural protective coating which shouldn't be wash off).

[jacquimackenzie]

Thanks for your replies.

 

The eggs that I boiled for the family were from the fridge and were about a week old but I also tried a freshly laid egg before it went into the fridge and that tasted the same. I have regularly boiled my eggs for 3 mins to keep the yolks runny so they have not been over boiled.

 

I have checked the date on my bag of pellets and that is best before January 2012 so that should be OK.

 

I did wonder if they had been eating something different so I have had a wander around the garden to see if they have been nibbling on something new!

 

I do have a rhubarb plant. I hadn't grown much this year so there were just a few stray old stalks and leaves and they have disappeared - I assumed they had just rotted away. They have never eaten it before but they could possibly be what it was. I have also cut back an escallonia bush so there were lots of leaves about but as they can always reach these leaves I don't think that would be it.

 

I am open to any new ideas! We are going away on Friday so I have just told my chicken sitters not to eat the eggs, just in case which is a bit sad.

 

Thanks again for suggestions so far.

[Aloechris]

I have the same problem! I noticed it a couple of weeks ago with a couple of Bantham eggs and again today with a normal egg. Not sure what is going on? Have only noticed this taste with the hard boiled eggs. Haven't changed their feed and don't keep my eggs in the fridge either. They also don't have any access to the Rhubarb either.

[Henchanted]

Hi Jaquimackenzie and Aloechris

 

I was wondering 2 things

1. Which feed do you use, this might be a source

2. Which area do you live in, as there may be something being spread by wild birds

 

Curiouser and curiouser.....

[Aloechris]

Hi Henchanted

I live in Kent, Sevenoaks area and I feed my girls the Small Holder Range of pellets and a very small handful each of mixed corn in afternoon.

I have realised that this taste has only occurred since the introduction of four Silkies of which one is a Cockrel so don't know if this has any relevance?