Small chicken egg!!

[RATTER15]

I just went to check on my new chickens and found this: http://i106.photobuck...Chickens/Smallegg.jpg

What's that all about, is this a common occurrence, the small egg is about 1" diameter

[ladybirder]

Well it's obviously a child's egg RATTER.

[Barmaid]

It's quite common Ratter. Often happens with young birds (at point of lay) or older hens if something as upset their system. They are called witch eggs, fairy eggs or fart eggs. As a one off nothing to worry about but if it is consistent she may need checking out.

I had one of these early on when I got my girls. THe other thing I've had is thin shelled eggs (that's normally only after a thunderstorm).

[RATTER15]

Thanks Barmaid, we are really enjoying our new flock, especially with the addition of our baby Jersey Giants :-) Still lots to learn.

[crisgal]

my warren did this just once, we fried it and made a teeny tiny egg on toast!

[Barmaid]

It may not have a yolk. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't.

One thing to watch for this time of year is red mites. I've been OK while the weather has been terrible, but I checked this morning and think they are back. So I shall be scrubbing the hen house with Poultry Shield today and putting diatom in their dust baths.

[RATTER15]

Are red mites easily detectable, what are the signs?

[Barmaid]

Two main signs you need to look for

1) take a bit of kitchen roll and run it on the underside of the perches - if you get specks of blood you've got red mites in your hen house. Best to check first thing in the morning because these sods are active at night.
2) check round cracks and crevices - if you see white "dust" that's also a sign.

You have to keep checking because they feed on the girls' blood at night. If you have an infestation and you don't know about it, it can make your girls anaemic and can kill them if left. They are an absolute sod to get rid of, but a double dosing of Poultry Shield (I do it once a week when I've seen evidence of the blighters) and then putting diatomateous earth in the bottom of the coop, in their dust baths and on their perches seems to deal with it. I also treat the girls with Mite and lice powder (that's a two man job - one to hold the girl and spread her wings, one to shake powder everywhere).

It is quite satisfying when you spray your hen house with PS and then after half an hour there is green gunk running down it. Then you know you are killing the little buggers.

[Barmaid]

Oh and if you have got red mites, once you've treated the hen house, put vaseline over cracks and crevices and round the end of perches - that seems to help.

[RATTER15]

Thanks for the advice Barmaid, we will certainly look into the diatomateous earth, we have been looking into buying it for the dogs as well.

[ruthann58]

ratter you have to throw the mini egg over the house , dont know why but my mum always said to throw the little egg over the house i get my son or husband to throw them cause i cant chuck them hard enough lol

[RATTER15]

ruthann lol, I wont be throwing no eggs over no house. I have always defied superstition!!

I wonder where that particular one came from?