fishy eggs

Do you give them cod-liver oil supplement? I do occasionally in the shorter days but only a teaspoon per 4 hens, and only once a week.

no, it's mysterious! no fish or fish deritives at all! this morning I boiled my eggie (one of Scarlet's) and I had to give it to the dog!

Some humans have a defective gene FM03 that causes a condition called Fish Odour Syndrome or Trimethylaminuria. A similar condition also occurs in cattle where the gene concerned is R238X. It is the production of the chemical trimethylamine (TMA) that produces the smell in both cases. It is now thought that a similarly defective gene may also be present in chickens. It has also been suggested that brown egg layers are more likely to be affected than white egg layers. (2) It should be emphasised however, that this is still being researched and no firm findings are yet available.

just found this in a quickie google session!, but will keep looking later on!

Might it be caused by an infection in the reproductive system?

Could their feed have any fishy additives in it?

Is Scarlet brown??

I found this....

( quote...About five to 10 per cent of brown chickens that consume such feed produce tainted eggs. )
from...

Solved: The fishy brown egg problem


Is there flaxseed oil in the feed?....

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/f...e-fishy-075597

That's really interesting. Like Polly I would have said maybe infection of some sort, but that link has made me think again.

yes that's what i was on about in the above post or at least i think it is!! and scarlet is brown!! sorry no capital letters it's really cold here and can only use one hand, other one numb, run out of firewood!! might go and sleep with the hens!

Growers pellets are higher in protein than layers pellets. I do believe the protein is obtained by fish meal, and have heard this can taint the eggs giving them a 'fishy' taste?
You haven't picked up a bag of growers pellets instead of layers pellets by mistake have you?

I'll check that Snadger, I am a bit blind in the morning but I think it's only Scarlet with the fishy eggs oh dear will have to cull her......

hi,this ones definately got me stumped,i know that fishmeal is added to some feed , as was said previously,but other than that its quite a tricky one!!

Why not try her on a course of antibiotics? If you've been eating her eggs with no problems before it would imply she's picked up an infection and she has had laying problems in the past hasn't she? If she was mine I'd get her on a course of Baytril. You were kidding about culling her weren't you?

OK - just caught up with this thread. my comments (for what they are worth) are thus

- have the eggs from this particular bird ALWAYS tasted fishy, or only recently? if only recently would suggest an infection or similar is tainting the eggs. If the eggs always taste fishy from this one bird, then it could be an inheritted trait. Let her live her normal life and feed the "waste" eggs to the dog or similar who will love them.

if you do go down the antibiotic route (which if she has an infection you have a duty of care to look after her) make sure you follow the egg withdrawal period advised by the vet and not eat any of her eggs during that period

- if only recently tasting fishy, have you changed brands of feed? some increase their protein content by adding fishmeal, or increase the omega 3 levels by using flax seed. Both methods can impart a fishy flavour to the final egg product

- how have you stored the egg? is it possible that the egg has been contaminated in storage? egg shells are very porous and pick up taints easily. for example, being stored in a fridge next to some salmon will taint the egg.

- do your birds have total free range or are they cooped up most of the day? the reason i ask is that a bird only fed pellets, kept in a coop will have bland flavoured eggs. this will then accent any flavours as the natural flavour of the egg is low. Birds allowed to free range all day pick up all sorts of forrage items which allow the eggs to develop their own unique flavour, overiding subtle flavours that may be introduced.

of course you know me I wouldn't couldn't cull anything i'm useless!

am now going to read thru these last two posts really well......