Egg health..

[Anonymous]

Morning all.

A brief question about egg quality if I may. Every now and again one of our girls lays an egg which looks fine but when cooked (boiled in particular) the egg white is very pulpy, crumbly even and tasteless. The yoke is fine. They are fed layers pellets and mixed grain and the occasional bowl of scraps (brown pasta, rice, veg, etc) and they have plenty of access to grit and lots of space to run around in. They are also worm and lice free, though a have had instances of both on the past year or so.

Any ideas?

t.

 

[foxy]

Hi Timus and welcome to the forum! 99 99

Egg quality is based on age, diet and health and to some extent breeds. Older birds or those coming to the end of the laying season..late summer/autumn actually tend to lay poorer quality eggs as energy is directed into the moult and or moult preparation. Prolific laying breeds coming up to the end of their laying days will start to lay poorer eggs. Some diseases have a damaging effect on egg quality but these are more obvious in a rather deformed looking shell.

What sort of birds do you have Timus?

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Foxy,

As per signature - a real mix. A good point about the egg coming from one of the older bids as they are a good mix of ages too.

 

[chrismahon]

Worms can affect egg quality apparently and I also read in extreme cases you can find worms inside the eggs!
We had a complaint about one of ours last Winter where the egg contents, yolk and white, fitted your description. Co-incided with minus 8 degree daytime temperatures and I think it froze in the nest box. So this year I will collect them more often.