Ask the Expert – April/May 2020
Reading Time: 18 minutes
Double–Shelled Egg
Has anyone else had an egg like this (white shell inside, dark shell outside)? First one I’ve found. Wonder why.
Lorri Melton Atwell Jones
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The outside layer is excess calcium, though it’s more than you normally see with excess calcium deposits, and that can be caused by too much calcium in the feed, a defective shell gland, stress during the time when that last layer was formed, or foreign material that may be present when that last layer was formed. Biliverdin/oocyanin (the green and blue coloring in poultry eggs) permeates the entire shell and protoporphyrines (the brown or speckles) are “painted” on during the final stage in egg production. So, if the chicken is anything other than something with Chilean heritage, that would explain why the inside shell is white. If the hen is a white-layer, the color is probably because of foreign material or something surplus in the feed. If it’s a brown-layer then some of the protoporphyrines would probably be seen somewhere as brown tint or spotting.
I hope this helps!
Marissa Ames
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Thank you very much for the information! The outside was dark brown, though some of it was so thick it looked dusty. The inside shell was totally white. I haven’t found one since, but it was definitely interesting.
Lorri
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Bugs on Chicks
My mother hen passed two days after hatching five chicks. She was nine years old and now I see bugs on my chicks. I used white DE but they’re still feather picking. I have them in the extra bedroom under a red lamp, proper setup. I need them bug-free as they’re in the house. Is there anything safe I can use on chicks of that age, other than DE?
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That is a good question. This is one reason it’s suggested to make sure broody hens are free of mites and lice before they hatch. Of course, that’s easy for me to say, but it doesn’t help in this situation!
Of treatments that are approved for use, a product that claims to be an enzyme treatment (Poultry Protector, as an example) says it is not recommended for chicks under 10 days old.
I think permethrin products will probably be safe for chicks, but I don’t know for sure. This is not a common problem in commercial situations, so I don’t know of any research on it. A permethrin or pyrethrin dust may be most effective and easiest to use on the chicks.
There is another product, Elector PSP, with the active ingredient spinosad. It’s pretty expensive, but it seems to be pretty effective. It is a liquid you can spray on the birds.
If you’re using a liquid spray, you will need to be very careful not to chill the chicks. Definitely keep them under a heat source, and try not to overdo the spray.
It may be helpful to change the bedding often, too, to get rid of as many bugs as possible that may not be directly on the chicks.
Sorry I can’t give a more definitive answer. Good luck with them!
Ron Kean
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Rooster on Deck
How do you keep a rooster off your deck? Don’t want to put up a pet fence nor is it practical. They leave their droppings and we just don’t think it’s sanitary. We tried throwing things at them, chasing them, hosing them down as they approach and even had window screens put around the walkway to limit their access. Help!
Jim Gildein
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Hi Jim,
Unfortunately, your deck offers two things that roosters love. It gives them a perfect perch where they can watch over their flock. It’s also where humans congregate, and humans are the providers of all things tasty. Though you’re not keen on the idea of a pet fence, that combined with a good wing-clipping may be your best options. Other chicken-repelling ideas include adding sprinklers/misters around the perimeter or a heavy sprinkling of strongly scented herbs/spices such as black pepper and cinnamon, both of which may not be good for your deck or its general aesthetic. For my property, I’ve tried different options for gardens and walkways and have always resorted back to wing-clipping and fences.
I would love to open this question up for other Backyard Poultry readers and see if they have suggestions!
Good luck,
Marissa
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Life Expectancy of Red Ranger Hens
What is the life expectancy is of Red Ranger hens?
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Hi Dawn,
Since Red Rangers are such a new breed, and since they are sold by hatcheries specifically for processing at nine to 10 weeks of age, I had to do some digging. Reports from individual backyard chicken owners give a general consensus: they can live as long as your dual-purpose breeds, if allowed to forage and exercise.
Some chicken owners reported keeping their Red Ranger hens alive and healthy for six years and counting, but to do this they had to allow their chickens to free-range. When kept inside a coop and run, given full-time access to chicken food, they tended to overeat and developed problems like ascites and leg deformities due to their body weight. But when they must walk and hunt for much of their food, their weights stayed at levels healthy enough to prolong life and allow for laying eggs and hatching/raising chicks.
I have reached out to Freedom Ranger Hatchery for input. Though not specifically Red Rangers, their breed is very similar as far as growth, metabolism, and life expectancy.
I hope this helps!
Marissa
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We have had people keep them (Freedom Rangers) for at least two years, not sure if anyone has kept them much past that. They will thrive as long as they are free-range and have their feed limited. They are bred for meat production, so they tend to get heavy and have the health issues broilers have if that happens. If their feed is limited and they are kept to a healthy weight they should live for years. The females will also lay eggs, just not as many as a chicken that is bred to lay eggs.
Hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions.
Kendall at Freedom Ranger Hatchery
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Treating Bumble Foot
Help, I live in Spain and I just tried to treat a bumblefoot. The scab came off, there was no pus. There was blood and it looks like flesh. I tried to see if lump would come out. It is covered now. I used Betadine etc. and covered it. She is separated from the small flock. Can you suggest anything else?
Chris Smith
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Hi Chris,
It looks like you’re on the right track. Now, pay close attention to the wound to see if it heals. It usually does, but not always. If the infection persists, here is what one Backyard Poultry contributor did that helped:
“In July 2014, my five-year-old Rhode Island Red hen, Chirpy, had a footpad that also got infected badly. She had a nickel-sized hole in the bottom of her foot. For her, my vet recommended Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid at a stronger dose than was used for Haley. Also given to me was a recipe for something called Dakin’s Solution. Dead tissue with this wound was the biggest problem. It had to be cleaned out for several days in a row.
In September 2014, Chirpy still had the bumblefoot. The wound had been slow to heal and she had to have checkups with the vet. Chirpy was prescribed, at my suggestion, a cream called Silver Sulfadiazine, most commonly used on people with burns or bad infections.
This cream is stronger than over the counter antibiotic creams. Chirpy had been prescribed the amoxicillin/clavulanic acid when the infection set in. In October 2014, Chirpy was switched to Wonder Dust powder. This worked for the infection and her foot is finally healing.”
You can read the whole story here:
Good luck!
Marissa
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Delaware Chickens
I want to get Delaware breed back. Who has those? I have been working on it for five years.
Sam St Romain
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Delawares are available all over the place, including a lot of hatcheries. But since you are focusing on serious breed standards, I recommend going to the Livestock Conservancy Breeders Directory and searching for Delaware chickens to see breeders within the U.S. who are dedicated to saving that specific breed according to standard and heritage.
I hope this helps!
P.S. This is my favorite breed of all time.
Marissa
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Aggressive Rooster
I have a rooster that has spurred me several times in spite of being booted, moved with a rake (not so gently), chased, stared at, and talked to. Any other suggestions?
Louise Thomspon
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Hi Louise,
Your problem is unfortunately very common, and one reason some people choose to forego the rooster and just acquire chicks or fertile eggs somewhere else. We have some great tips here:
But sometimes, these tips just plain don’t work, and it may be time to get a different rooster.
Good luck!
Marissa
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Bullying Hens
I have two hens that have been bullying their respective flocks. I have removed them both from their coops and placed them in separate cages. Both flocks calmed down almost immediately and the bullied birds are interacting with their respective flocks. One of the hens has begun biting and attacking me as a rooster would. Would rehousing them in a coop with a rooster help? Or is this a situation that requires culling? This has not been a problem for me before. Both of these hens are excellent layers. One is a Rhode Island Red and the other is a Sapphire Gem. The RIR is approximately 20 months old and not molting. The Gem is 18 months and molting. The RIR began being aggressive at approximately six months old. The Gem has been bullying for at least six months. Both hens’ negative behaviors have become significantly worse in the last month.
Betty Saenz-Byars
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Hi Betty,
Both hens sound like they had nasty dispositions from the start and are getting worse as their situations allow. Of all the breeds I’ve personally known for bullying, Rhode Island Red is at the top. And I’ve had two Andalusians (similar to Sapphire Gem) and neither were known for personable behavior. Housing them with a rooster could put them in their place for now, but I fear they would return to bullying if you put them back with their respective flocks. And the fact that one is attacking you is a problem. I recommend trying the suggestions in this story:
And if that doesn’t work, I feel you indeed have a culling situation on your hands. It could mean they both get culled into the Mean Girls cage or culled out of your flock entirely.
Good luck!
Marissa
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Hens Not Laying
I have a mixed flock of 24 hens that include Speckled Sussex, Ameraucana, and Wyandotte. I have been getting a maximum of five eggs per day. Sometimes one, for a month or so. Almost all are from the Ameraucanas that are were chicks this spring. I have tried changing feed brands (layer pellets). I also feed a small amount of cracked corn plus limited table scraps, grass clippings. They free range for at least four hours per day. There were some diarrhea and loss of feathers, so I started using Corid in their water. The oldest girls are a little more than two years of age. These girls have been great layers in the past. I do have some that are molting. I cannot see anything that would be stressing them. I am at a loss to figure this one out. Your ideas would be appreciated.
Jerry Bair
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Hi Jerry,
Normally, I would say they are just molting or are older hens, but one egg from 24 hens, in October, is a sign that you’ve got something going on. You should at least be getting a few from the Ameraucanas. Since you mentioned diarrhea and feather loss, have you considered worms? Corid is great for coccidia but not for actual worms. I recommend bringing some very fresh fecal samples to your nearest veterinarian that helps chickens and asking for a fecal float test to see if the hens have worms, and what kinds if they do. Also, if you are still putting Corid in their water all this time, hold off on that until you get the fecal results back, as it keeps them from absorbing the thiamine they need.
Good luck!
Marissa
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Sick Hen
I could use some help. My 11-week-old pullet is acting weird. I called the hatchery and they couldn’t help. She’s acting like she is drunk when she walks and keeps her head low and cocks it to look up at me. She’s not bleeding or missing feathers. Not sure what it is.
My husband just told me he found them sleeping on top of the run and picked her up; he dropped her, I’m not sure how. But she fell on the ground. I’m going to check his picture to see if it’s the same bird. It was about five days ago.
Rachel
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Hi Rachel,
It looks like your pullet has one of two things. It is very possible that she fell and injured her neck, as I once had a duckling that did that, as well. It could also be wry neck, also called star gazing or torticollis, which is a vitamin deficiency. This is easier to treat than an injury. If you have a Tractor Supply or other feed store available, look for a product called Nutri-Drench Poultry and administer according to the label. If you don’t have a local feed store, look for Poly-Vi-Sol infant drops in your pharmacy/drug store, but be sure it’s withOUT iron. It’s easy to overdose on iron, so getting the one without iron means you don’t have to worry as much about dosage.
Marissa
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– Thank you! I will get that for her and see how she does. Thank you so much!
– Got a couple of drops of the meds in her. Wrapped her in a towel. She’s eating when I put her in front of the food. Long breaks in between. And got her to drink a little water with the vitamins in that. Hopefully, she will make it through the night.
– She made it through the night. Yay! Feeding her breakfast and gave her some more vitamins.
– This is Charm today. She’s just a little off. Not too bad. She is back to her frisky self. She eats and drinks on her own. May have been the vitamins … or just testing a few days helped. But she seems better. Thank you so much for being there. You guys are amazing!
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Blind Hen
One of my hens went blind seemingly overnight. No other symptoms. The second day she was getting lethargic but did drink water. I could not get her to eat.
Chris Grundman
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Interesting — that’s not a common thing. There are a couple of things that can affect the eyes. Marek’s disease can cause a gray eye, which can cause blindness. If this is the cause, you should be able to see a graying of the eye, and sometimes changes in the shape of the pupil.
There are some reports of a type of Salmonella (S. arizona, formerly called Arizona hinshawii) that has caused blindness in young turkeys. I think that is probably unlikely to be the cause for your hen.
Ammonia can certainly cause blindness, too. With the cooler weather, there is a tendency to cut down on ventilation, and this can cause a buildup of ammonia in coops. It is important to keep good litter conditions and adequate ventilation.
I suppose there could be some rarer causes — some sort of tumor, an injury, etc. These would be difficult to diagnose without a necropsy.
It is possible to keep blind chickens. They should usually be raised with other chickens, so they can hear them finding feed, water, etc. If the hen doesn’t have some other health problems, she may adjust pretty well.
Good luck with her!
Ron Kean
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Ron,
Thanks for your input. I did not see the gray eye mentioned but will be on the lookout. Ammonia does not seem to be a problem in the coop. The ventilation is still very good. When I checked her yesterday, she did drink water but I could not get her to eat. While holding her it felt like there was food in her crop. She has been in the same coop for four years and I believe she can find the food and water. She was able to walk completely around the coops and found her way home. So, I’ll just play it day by day, trying to use common sense. By the way, she is an ISA Brown, four years old, the last of my original six. She had laid her last egg about three weeks ago. Right now, all my egg production is down; many are molting. Plus, with the reduced sunlight, it is pretty much expected.
Thank you so much for your time.
Chris Grundman
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Passing Illness
My question concerns passing head cold/bronchitis to chicks or adult birds. I have read that head colds and bronchitis can infect chicks and adult birds and create respiratory illness that can lead to salpingitis. Is this a concern?
Betty Jo
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Hi Betty Jo,
Are you talking about a human head cold and bronchitis? If so then no, you don’t have to worry about it. Very few human viruses will infect birds. Human bronchitis and fowl bronchitis are two totally different diseases, and it’s the fowl infectious bronchitis that causes reproductive issues.
If you are experiencing infectious bronchitis, then please take as many biosecurity measures as possible, though I will warn you that this viral disease is highly contagious. Incorporate other methods of keeping your chickens comfortable, such as ensuring the coop isn’t drafty, adding electrolytes and apple cider vinegar to the water, and using products like VetRx to help ease respiratory issues.
Marissa
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All our birds are well, thank goodness. My husband and I are the ones sick. We wear masks and gloves when we are feeding, watering, and gathering eggs when we are sick just to make sure our birds are protected. We practice biosecurity measures always. Thank you for the tips on extra care if birds do get sick. We really appreciate the chance to talk with someone more experienced and knowledgeable.
Betty Jo
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Malay Roosters
Can you keep Malay roosters with other rooster breeds, or will they kill each other?
Jared Piehl
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Hi Jared,
Since I do not keep Malays, I looked into the experiences of other chicken owners. Malays were originally used for cockfighting, and those behaviors still run deep. While some readers reported that, “Malays are most aggressive with other Malay roosters but aren’t as bad with roosters of other breeds,” other readers said that introducing a Malay into their rooster coops meant fighting and often the death of the less aggressive breeds. It is also reported that their aggression gets worse when confined and not allowed to free-range.
I hope this answers your question!
Marissa
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Reducing Coop Smell
We were hit by hurricane Irma in 2017 and underwater for a week (we lost two of our girls). Ever since then, when there is a rainstorm, the smell in the chicken yard is intense. I have tried baking soda but that only works for a day. Can I use lime in the chicken yard without harming our girls? I tried digging a trench to keep the area drier and cover it with gravel and sand. That cut down on some of the mud but has done nothing for the odor. Would appreciate any info you can provide, thanks.
Barb Allen-Coil, Lakeland, Florida
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Hi Barb,
I’m sorry to hear about the mud and smell! Using lime in chicken coops can be tricky, and information on the internet can be deceiving. For instance, I ran across a blog that says to ONLY use agricultural lime, then I found this university-written article that says agricultural lime should NEVER be used in chicken coops. https://articles.extension.org/pages/66918/use-of-lime-in-poultry-houses This same article does tell how to use lime, and which kind to use if you choose it. When I search for information, I lean toward university studies, especially peer-reviewed publications. But either way, keep in mind that lime is so alkaline that it can range from irritating to highly caustic on both animal and human skin surfaces, and it should never be inhaled. Have you considered Sweet PDZ? It’s made of clinoptilolite zeolite and is safe for humans and your poultry
Good luck!
Marissa
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Geese Without a Pond
Is it possible to have geese without a pond?
Marguerite
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Hi Marguerite,
Though geese do love a nice pond, it’s not necessary for their health and survival. They can live on dry land just fine, sleep in large floor-level boxes in the coop, and wander around a dry yard. The one requirement is that they must have a source of water deep enough for them to fully immerse their bills and wash food off their nostrils, so a normal chicken waterer isn’t enough. Provide at least a bucket of water. If you want to make your geese extra happy during warmer weather, purchase a cheap plastic kids’ pool and keep it full.
Good luck!
Marissa
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I do hope to convert some heavily-wooded wetland into a pond, but don’t know yet if it will be economically possible. Knowing geese can do well without one is encouraging.
How well do they fly? There is a very large area of wetlands on the adjacent property. Will I need to worry about them going over a 4′ fence to get there?
Thank you.
Marguerite
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Flight depends largely on breed. African and production Toulouse can be easiest to confine due to their heavyweight, while Chinese geese can fly over a low fence, and Shetland and Egyptian geese can fly exceptionally well. Sebastopol geese stay low to the ground, primarily because of feather structure.
No matter which breed you get, clipping their wings generally works to confine geese, chickens, and ducks.
Marissa
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Raising Chickens with Wild Birds
Hello,
I am new to the chicken world and I recently adopted three chickens from my neighbor who had to move. I never knew how much I would enjoy having them and want the absolute best for the girls. I let them roam the yard every day, which they love and is a new experience for them. I don’t want to take yard time away from them if I don’t have to. I enjoy seeing how happy they are when they are in the yard with me.
I have always had a love for birds and have a couple of wild bird feeders in my yard. Is there any concern I should have with this? I keep the feeders clean and yard clean, meaning I don’t allow any mold to grow from the bird food. Is it possible to have everyone co-exist if you will?
Kindly,
Renée
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Hi Renée,
I would be very concerned about the diseases those birds could carry. Parasites, viruses, and bacteria carried by wild birds can also transmit to chickens. It may be as simple as dropping coccidia into water with their poop or as serious as bringing in a deadly disease.
You should, at the very least, be sure the wild birds can’t get anywhere near the chicken water. Just doing that will mitigate a lot of issues. The chickens aren’t going to be snuggling the birds.
Marissa
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Sick Silkie
My baby, a two-day-old Silkie, is dying. I don’t know what it’s from, but she won’t move or poop. She lets other chicks run over her and won’t move. Help me, please.
Audrey
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Hi Audrey,
I hope my response gets to you on time. Judging by her age and that she sounds like she is the only Silkie in your brooder, I’m going to guess she came from a hatchery? In that case, it could be several things. Pasting happens frequently in hatchery chicks due to stress; check the backside to see if she has poo glued to her feathers. If so, moisten it with a warm cloth and gently clean it off, being careful not to chill the chick. It could be overall stress from being transported, or she could have been unhealthy to begin with but not unhealthy enough to notice when she went into the box. Silkies are a very fragile breed as chicks, with a vaulted skull susceptible to injury. If you can find a product called Sav-a-Chick, offer that to her, or electrolytes in the water.
I wish you luck and hope she pulls through!
Marissa
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Hi thank you so much for your consideration!
I honestly didn’t think that anyone would care but I’m so glad they did!
Unfortunately, I didn’t get your email until after she died. I am only 13 and it was pretty scary for me. But thank you for responding; it means a lot.
The most avid BYP fan, magazine reader, website reader, ever,
Audrey
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Chicks Pooping Worms?
Help, my chicks are pooping worms! They are still in the brooder. Only four days old. I brought a handful of grass into the brooder for them to play with. Now they have worms! What do I do?
Miranda
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Hi Miranda,
I am not aware of worm eggs being passed through the chicken egg (though an adult worm is occasionally found in an egg), so it seems that the chicks would have to have been infected after hatch. I don’t know what kind of worms would be able to mature in four days in the chick.
Might these be maggots (fly larva) instead of worms? They can hatch in about a day. Or, were there some kind of worms in the grass? Also, sometimes chick droppings can be a bit stringy, and might look like worms.
I am skeptical that the chicks have worms at four days of age, as the life cycles of worms should take considerably longer than that.
I think I would suggest monitoring them for a while to see if it continues. Or, if you could send a picture (not pleasant, I know, but…) it might be helpful.
Good luck with them!
Ron Kean
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Keeping Up with Egg Production
Hello Marissa,
Funny but not funny that you are writing about predators this week. I lost a good six-month-old, that just laid her first egg, last Saturday to a hawk that caught me not looking.
My question: what is the best way to keep up on egg production on each hen? I only have three right now but more will be on the way soon.
Jim Henry
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Hi Jim,
The best ways to keep up egg production are to maintain optimal health, with a good feed that provides both the protein they need to make the yolks and albumen and the calcium they need to form strong shells. Reduce stress in the coop and provide areas for them to undergo natural habits such as nesting in protected areas, foraging, and dust-bathing. If you notice ill health or an unseasonal decline in eggs, it’s time to investigate further to see if issues such as parasites might be a problem.
Several factors will naturally keep even the healthiest hens from producing eggs, and though some owners choose to augment these through environmental changes, others choose to let their chickens live natural lives and they purchase eggs from the store for a season or two. That’s all personal choice according to your own coop and budget.
Certain breeds lay through the winter, while others don’t. I had great luck with my Andalusians laying all winter. Age is a huge factor, and a hen will produce best in the first two years of life; after that, she will often be eating more in feed than she produces in eggs, with the exception of certain breeds such as Deathlayers. When daylight reduces below 14 hours per day, the chickens’ seasonal rhythms prompt them to take a break. Some chicken owners add lights to their coops, being sure to turn them off at 9 pm so the chicken can still experience nighttime. Chickens tend to prefer warm-spectrum bulbs. And finally, molt will stop production temporarily and there isn’t much you can do about it other than adding a bit more of good-quality protein to their diets so they can finish growing those feathers sooner. Feathers take protein; eggs take protein. A chicken just can’t produce both at the same time without taxing her body too much, so most just plain stop laying.
Please keep in mind that a chicken can only lay the calories, nutrients, and calcium/protein she ingests, minus what her body uses to maintain homeostasis, so that’s why your very best bet is choosing the best, balanced layer feed. Every egg laid means something is taken from her body, which is why so many chicken owners allow that natural rest to occur.
I hope this helps! I’m sorry to hear about your hen and good luck with the new chickens!
Marissa
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Thanks for all the wonderful information, Marissa.
My next question is: how do I track individual chicken production?
Jim
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I would say the easiest ways are to: 1) Keep chickens of different breeds that all lay different-colored eggs. 2) Get to know your chickens, so you know in which time of day they lay, in what nests, and which tend to lay eggs of a different size or different luster. Another trick is to hold the chicken upside down and drop food coloring onto her cloaca, so the next few eggs come out with a bit of that coloring. This would be the most labor-intensive, as you have to reapply it every few days, but I have friends who have done it, and it worked. You could even isolate them in different cages, but this can be counterintuitive as the added stress may affect egg production. I’ve always been a breed geek, wanting a rainbow flock, so knowing each chicken by its individual egg was how I did it.
Marissa
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Thanks for the tip! I like the food coloring.
Jim
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Originally published in the April/May 2020 issue of Backyard Poultry and regularly vetted for accuracy.
