Eggs smell and taste like manure! *UPDATE!*I think the prob is fixed

[alhanse77]

We are recent converts to chickens and have four 9 mo. old hens (1 buff orp, 1 barred rock, 2 araucanas). The buff and the barred rock have been regular layers since late October. Within the last month, their eggs have begun to smell and taste like chicken manure. Their nest boxes are kept clean and the eggs rarely have more than a smear. Their diet has not changed since winter began and we change their water often. From what I have read so far, the odor and taste could be due to what they are eating. We have an ark style coop and it gets muddy when the snow thaws (we live in SE Idaho). We rake out the manure about once a week. Recently, I have been putting pine shavings in the bottom of the ark to absorb the excess water and minimize the formation of mud. Although we have taken better measures to keep the bottom of the coop clean, their eggs still smell and taste like manure. SO, the question is, what is causing the eggs to smell and when will it go away?

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

Giving you a bump cause I don't have a clue. Maybe one of our more experienced members does.

 

[roosterroost]

We have a buff orpington whose eggs are fine. The Easter egger just started laying, and when I've cracked those eggs, they smell rotten (but they are fresh). I haven't even eaten them, just thrown it all out.... This hen is in the exact same environment and has the same feed as the buff orpington.... I am also wondering what is up with the E.E. eggs....??????????

 

[TigerLilly]

I dont have any answers, but I'll definitely be watching to see what the cause & resolution might be!

BTW--

 

[crazyhen]

Are you feeding flax seed ? Sometimes that will cause them to smell if they eat too much of it and some hens will eat more than others. Also it could be a problem with the hen having some problem of her own. Wish you luck that must be terrible.

Gloria Jean

 

[sheaviance1]

Perhaps you got a bad bag of feed. Odor in an egg is usually related to their diet. Could you try to get a fresh bag of feed and see if it improves over the next week or two?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Do they have access to a compost bin?

 

[Barreds N' Tards Ranch]

Check out ThePoultrySite.com. They have a section for stinky eggs and what may be causing it.

 

[alhanse77]

Update on my funky eggs:
After looking at all of the variables (no flax, no compost, etc.), my best guess is that the chicken feed is contributing to the off smell and taste of my eggs. The last bag of feed I bought was the same brand as before, but it looked different (more yellowish, not as brown). I also realized that the eggs started getting funky shortly after I started feeding them from the new bag of feed. I switched to a new brand of organic layer pellets earlier this week and the eggs smell and taste much better. They still have a subtle "earthy" smell, but it is not nearly as bad as before. I scrambled our eggs with some store-bought eggs this morning and no one noticed a difference. I am hoping that in the next couple of weeks the smell goes away all together. I will keep you posted! Thanks everyone for the tips!

 

[NonnasBabies]

Glad you figured out your problem cause that's just kinda