Wind Eggs - What are they & Why do you get them?

*** Wind Eggs - What are they & Why do you get them? ***

Wind egg / Fart egg / Cock egg or whatever you want to call them, are really really small eggs that usually contain no yolk at all. Such an egg is most often associated with a pullets (young hens) first effort, produced before her laying mechanism is fully ready or reached full maturity. In a mature hen, a wind egg is unlikely, but not impossible and can occur if a bit of reproductive tissue breaks away, stimulating the egg-producing glands to treat it as a yolk and wrap it in albumen, membranes and a shell as it travels through the egg tube (oviduct). This has occurred if, instead of a yolk, the egg contains a small particle of grayish tissue. This type of egg occurs in most varieties of fowl, including chickens, guinea fowl, ducks and quail, amongst others.





A wind egg can also be caused by an hiccup / blip in egg production, either at the beginning or end of lay when the hormone level has not stabilised and are usually nothing to worry about. If you have a young hen producing these eggs then it will settle down and begin to lay proper eggs once the days really start to lengthen and as the hen matures. A cockerel has nothing to do with wind eggs and his sperm is held within special storage glands in the oviduct (egg tube), only moving up to the infundibulum (funnel that the yolk falls in to) when a yolk is ovulated in order to fertilise it. The lifespan of a sperm once it swims out of the storage gland in response to the ovulation hormone is minutes, so no spare sperm are likely to be included within a normal egg. Since there is no yolk in a wind egg, the sperm will still be in the storage glands.

Is there anything you can do to help a hen laying these eggs???

 

The answer is NO, as outlined above there can be a few reasons why a hen would produce a wind egg and 9/10 the situation will righten itself, however it is worth mentioning that pullets (young hens) will lay small eggs on a continuing basis initially for a few weeks as they are new to laying and as a their bodies adjust and also mature. Within a few weeks you should see the egg sizes start to increase getting larger and larger with age and as they hit their 'peak' laying often produce double yolked eggs which again are caused by a hiccup / blip in the hens laying cycle as the hen ovulates two yolks are released and again are quite normal and will happen now and then throughout a hens laying life.





Recap! What do wind eggs look like and do I need to worry?

1. The egg will be really really small (shown in above images).
2. Shell is usually really really hard.
3. There will be no yolk or very little.
4. Usually laid by a pullet (young hen).
5. Nothing to worry about

You can find out more about egg oddities here in our DOCUMENT all about eggs, issues and concerns.

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How To Stop Crows/Rooks/Magpies & Other Wild Birds From Stealing Eggs

** How To Stop Crows/Rooks/Magpies & Other Wild Birds From Stealing Eggs **


We get asked a lot, especially from FREE RANGE poultry keepers - How Can I Stop Crows/Rooks/Magpies & Other Wild Birds From Stealing Eggs???





Many replies from people and other poultry keepers are just unbelievable at times with comments like (shoot, kill, hang a dead crow outside of the coop, use live traps, use bait, use larsen traps) and these are just to name a few. We get that vermin NEED controlling that's totally understandable (for disease prevention) etc etc, but simply just to kill or lame innocent wildlife because they encroach upon our flock is shocking to say the least and those condoning it in our opinion SHOULD be prosecuted to the fullest the law allows. It is "US" poultry keepers that are encroaching on their natural environment and we should respect that and both should be allowed to co exist and flourish, let's face it wildlife is part of our eco-system and makes the world go round and just killing wildlife is going to have a massive effect and impact on that.





Now, there are many simple and effective ways of stopping Crows, Rooks, Magpies and other wild birds from stealing your chickens and/or other poultry's eggs without any such need for the above and in this BLOG we look at that, starting with this simple and effective way. Just simply cover the pop hole on your coop with a black plastic refuse sack or other similar material and cut flares in it so that your chickens and/or other poultry can still get in and out but it deters the wildlife from entering, if your chickens and/or other poultry won't go in or out then just simply pin 1 flare up for a short while until then get used to it being there.





As you can see, really simple but effective. Another favourite is using the cane and pop bottle method which many call a (windygo). Basically all you need is a bamboo cane, a pop bottle, some sticky tape, some material and a pair of scissors to make a (windygo).


*** Directions/How To Make ***
1. Stab the bamboo cane into the ground.
2. Get an empty pop bottle.
3. Cut two wings into the bottle.
4. Stick some flares made from plastic or other materials to the wings.
5. Place the pop bottle over the bamboo cane so that the cane goes inside the bottle.


DONE. When the wind hits the wings it then spins the bottle on the cane turning it a bit like a windmill if you like and in turn scares off wildlife and wild birds, simple but again very effective.


STEP 1



STEP 2



STEP 3



STEP 4


The finished article should then look something like these (below) but again you can design or modify them in anyway you see fit. The purpose of this blog is to give you an 'idea' of what to do and how to make these and give just a few simple yet effective ways of deterring Crows, Rooks, Magpies and other wild birds from entering your coop and stealing your chickens and/or other poultry's eggs.

There are other predators that can also enter your coop and steal your chickens and/or other poultry's eggs as it's not limited just to wild birds like Crows, Rooks and Magpies. So our DOCUMENT Predator Attacks On Poultry & Predator Proofing will also give you tips and help you with that.

Thank you for reading this article/blog and we hope that you will find it useful and put these methods into effective but more importantly think twice about killing or laming innocent wildlife.

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How Do I Know If My Hens & Ducks Are Laying? (Do The Finger Test)

*** How Do I Know If My Hens & Ducks Are Laying? (Do The Finger Test) ***

A common question that gets asked quite a lot is, "How do i know if my Hens & Ducks are laying" - the sure fire way of knowing if they are laying is obviously when they pop an egg out, but let's face it we cannot hang around waiting all day to see which one or ones are laying, so there has to be a easier way of finding out whether or not your Hens or Ducks are laying, right?

DO THE FINGER TEST - What's that you may ask?

Hens and Ducks have pelvic bones that stick out near their vent, feel their back sides and you will feel them. Old timers / poultry keepers have insisted for years that 1 or 2 fingers between the pelvic bones and your Hens and Ducks aren't laying but 3 fingers between the pelvic bones and they are laying.

HOW DO I CHECK - You may ask?

1. Pick up your Hen or Duck and hold firmly under your arm (use a towel to wrap the wings if needs be).

2. Turn the Hen or Duck around so their back end is facing away from you.

3. DO NOT tip the Hen or Duck upside down.

4. Gently feel near the vent for two bones (these are called the pelvic bones).

5. Place 1 or 2 or 3 fingers between these pelvic bones. 

As the 1st diagram shows (open pelvic bones) = LAYER (3 fingers).

As the 2nd diagram shows (closed pelvic bones) = NONE LAYER (1 or 2 fingers).

This diagram shows you how to place your fingers between the pelvic bones.

SO, if you can fit 1 or 2 fingers between the pelvic bones then your Hen or Duck isn't likely to be laying but if you can fit 3 fingers between the pelvic bones then your Hen or Duck is almost certainly laying. 

NONE LAYER

LAYER

ANY OTHER WAYS OF TELLING IF THEY ARE LAYING? - I hear you ask?

Then the answer is yes there is...., (Crouching tiger? Submissive squat? The Stomp?) or whatever you may call it (submissive squat is the correct term) is another way of telling if you Hens or Ducks are laying.

Submissive Squat

When your Hen or Duck does this submissive squat this is readying for the Cockerel or Drake for mating, again your Hen or Duck is more likely to be laying when they do this. 

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Using Ant Powder and Fly Spray to Control Red Mite

*** Using Ant Powder & Fly Spray to Control Red Mite ***

We get asked a LOT of questions about red mite and how best to deal with them and let's face it, there are various different products available that can be used and some effective and some not so and it can be difficult to source the best thing to use..., So I have been doing a bit more research into mites and red mite in particular and found a good product to use called (Cypermethrin) - as found in (Harka-Mitex) which is used to control mites in pigeons and recommended by many pigeon fanciers. It's based on the natural pesticide Pyrethrum but has a stronger %. (Dura-Mitex) is the poultry version available in a spray can and pesticide FREE and costs around £10 and Harka-Mitex is around £10 per 50ml bottle and is a concentrate you need to mix to a spray and is (not licensed for use in poultry). So Cypermethrin or Pyrethrum guys - look out for these and products that contain it!!! Click on this hyperlink for further information about -->> Cypermethrin and click on this hyperlink -->> Pyrethrum and we hope this info helps a little. NOW let's have a look below how Fly Spray and Ant Powder can help with controlling mites and red mite in particular. 

Using Household Fly Sprays and Ant Powders
There are cheaper and in my opinion more effective ways of deal with red mite and controlling them and/or treating the coop once you have them and that's by using just normal household fly spray and ant powder.

There are a lot of expensive and not very effective "poultry red mite" treatments on the market, but I have been saying time and time again that the active ingredients needed to deal with red mite are Permethrin and Tetramethrin which can be found in household fly spray's and ant powders as shown in the above images but these are at a low % but use enough of it regularly and it does work against red mite and more importantly it's cheap at around £1 a can or bottle. 

Fly Spray and Ant Powder - De-miting (prevention & treatment) ...
The active ingredients you that you need to look for is as shown in the above images are Permethrin or Tetramethrin or both as these are the ingredients what 'kill' the mites. They contain only a low % but enough used regularly works great as a preventative. 

Directions (for prevention & treatment) ...

1. Wear a mask or scarf
2. Ensure there is good ventilation
3. Make sure no other pets are around (like cats)
4. Make sure coop is free from all bedding
5. Make sure the hens are out of the coop and away from the coop during in treatment

Using the Fly Spray (shake well before use), you need to spray the area you want to treat until you get a foam build up as shown in my pictures and pay particular attention to cracks, nooks and crevices making sure the area is covered really well, then take the Ant Powder and "puff" over the area you've just sprayed the Fly Spray so it sticks, please make sure you wear a mask and keep the hens out for about 1hr until fumes disperse. My recommendation is to use the Fly Spray and line the bottom and sides of the coop, paying particular attention to cracks and crevices and likely places mites may hide (warm/damp area's) and then with the Ant Powder "puff" it on to the Fly Spray to make it stick. 

Vaseline (for prevention only and treatment) ...
Once you have completed your task of applying the Fly Spray and Ant Powder, be extra safe and be sure to vaseline the ends of any perches applying a good liberal amount. 

** Repeating Treatment/s and Keep Mite Free **

Repeating treatment -  (for prevention and treatment) ...
Repeating treatment is key to ensuring that you break the life cycle of the mites and thus break the infestation. We recommend you do this every 5-7 days on clean out until you become mite FREE and then you should on need to repeat this once every 3 months or so as a prevention to stay on top of things and again mite FREE. This is important because if you don't and only treat once you'll be back to square one and the mites will still be there. Please DO NOT jet wash at all as this is the worst thing you can do as it doesn't kill the mites and just spreads them everywhere. Remember, prevention is better and cheaper than the cure.

Other recommendations - (for prevention and treatment)

Johnsons Scaly Lotion, this comes in a drop on bottle and is 15ml and contains pyrethrum which is natural and derived from plant extracts and been used many years on budgies and other aviary birds to control mite. Specifically it's for treatment for scaly mite but can also be used to control other mites and lice and you apply it the same as you would with Ivermectin. 4 drops large fowl, 3 drops medium fowl and 2 drops small fowl and banties and again paying particular attention to based on neck and under each wing, I also do base on tail feathers too but away from the preen gland, better still there is NO WITHDRAWL either as it's a natural product and it's cheap around £3-£5 from pets at home or other pet shops/ebay!!! I use this product alongside the Fly Spray and Ant Powder.

Finally...
We hope this information helps you and please be safe and careful when using these products, this article is recommendation only and not endorsed. These methods are purely what has worked for me and work for me on a continuing basis and are just my opinion only. I am not affiliated with and do not recommend or endorse these products in anyway but they do work!!! This method and use of these products are used entirely at your own risks, Thank you!

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Apps To Make You A Better Chicken Keeper!

*** Apps To Make You A Better Chicken Keeper! ***

Select breeds, monitor hatching and keep your coop organized with one of these 5 apps. Suiting beginners and experienced chicken keepers alike... You will need to search on your devices relevant APP STORE to download these applications. 

1. Cluck-ulator

Designer: ChickenWaterer.com Availability: Apple App Store, Google Play Store, Windows Phone Store Devices: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android, Windows

If you’re starting a backyard flock, the Cluck-ulator is the perfect pocket poultry consultant. Its Breed Selector helps you select the breed(s) of chicken you wish to raise based on criteria such as temperament, eggshell colour, climate tolerance, rate of lay, size at maturity and more. An alphabetical photo gallery aids in visualizing the different breeds as you consider them. The Coop Planner assists you in estimating your future flock’s housing requirements, including coop and run size, perch space, and nest boxes, while the Food & Water Estimator gives you an idea of how much feed and daily water your flock will require, based on criteria you select, like number and type of chickens, growth state and outside temperature. Finally—and possibly most importantly for farmers counting on future egg sales—the Egg Estimator provides an annual estimate of the number of eggs a chicken will lay once you identify the breed and age of bird. Additional features include access to ChickenWaterer.com’s Facebook page, Twitter feed and blog, though WiFi or cellular service is required to access these. The Cluck-ulator will definitely guide potential chicken keepers dreaming of starting a flock in the right direction.

2. FlockPlenty—Chicken Egg Tracker

Designer: George Lee Availability: Apple App Store Compatible Devices: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch

The poultry keeper’s best electronic friend, FlockPlenty helps keep track of your hens’ egg output and feed consumption via easy-to-read daily, weekly and monthly bar graphs. A digital journal allows you to take notes on your observations and flock care, and a camera function allows you to photograph your girls, their nests and anything else that would assist in the management of your flock. All data is stored right on your device; no backups to an unknown mystery cloud. Having all this great information literally at your fingertips will help you identify when molting may occur, when production is increasing or decreasing, and how members of your flock change over time. For those looking for bells and whistles, this app isn’t it, but for chicken keepers who are looking for an easy-to-use way to manage their poultry flocks, FlockPlenty is more than plenty.

3. iHatch-Chickens

Designer: iHatch-Apps Availability: Apple App Store, Google Play Store Compatible Devices: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android

If you plan on hatching your own chicks next spring, iHatch-Chickens is the download for you! Packed with tools to keep track of your growing chicks, iHatch-Chickens allows you to manage multiple hatches simultaneously—handy if you’re using both an incubator and a broody hen or two—take notes on temperature, humidity and appearance, and receive daily updates on your chicks’ progress towards hatching day. In addition, its reference section features in-depth illustrations depicting chick development, details on the hatching process, and an advice center with information on egg anatomy; basic incubation; how to collect, handle and store eggs; and much more. This unique smartphone app is a wonderful resource for elementary-school teachers and chicken-keeping parents who plan on teaching their children about the mysteries of life via poultry rearing.

4. Pickin’ Chicken

Designer: Mother Earth News/Funny Farm Industries Availability: Apple App Store Compatible Devices: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch

One of the first poultry apps to hit the market, Pickin’ Chicken is a handy breed-selection tool, ideal for novice poultry keepers and expert chicken-istas alike. More than 140 color photos illustrate a wide range of common, rare and heritage poultry breeds. Whittle down your wish list by searching through Pickin’ Chicken’s breed list by:

• breed origin
• foraging ability
• confinement versus free-range housing suitability
• growth rate
• egg size
• purpose (egg, meat or dual-purpose)
• climate hardiness
• many more characteristics

Each breed is also noted with its Livestock Conservancy status, so you can select to raise heritage breeds that are critically endangered. Pickin’ Chicken also identifies breeds on the Slow Food Ark of Taste list, crucial criteria for anyone planning on raising meat birds. While this app is somewhat limited—it’s more of a reference than a digital flock planner—it’s very user-friendly and the perfect pick for someone looking to get started.

5. Poultry Pal Designer: Southern States Cooperative Inc. Availability: Apple App Store, Google Play Store Compatible Devices: iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android

Poultry Pal is exactly that: a way to keep track of your chicken friends. Perfect for the poultry fancier who loves spending time amongst the flock, Poultry Pal lets you create individual files for your flock, allowing you to store photos, birthdays, health notes and more for each bird. You can also become pals with other registered Poultry Pal users, uploading and sharing photos of your flock with each other. And, of course, the app helps you create and manage your poultry shopping list, perfect for when it’s time to visit your local Southern States store (not sure where it is? The app will tell you!) to pick up some layer feed, grit, or chicken treats. This is not the app for the small-scale farmer planning on making a living raising poultry, but it’s perfect for urban/suburban dwellers with backyard microflocks.
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(Scorcher Eggs) Blood On The Shell Or Inside The Egg

*** Scorcher Eggs!!! - Blood On The Shell Or Inside The Egg ***

A question that gets asked a lot on The Poultry Pages is about, either blood on egg shells or blood actually inside the eggs themselves. Believe it or not this is quite a common issue but not usually a problem to be concerned about.I call egg's with blood on the shells 'SCORCHERS' ..., So let's talk scorchers (egg's with blood on them) first.

From time to time when you go to collect your eggs you will find eggs like these (shown in this first image) with blood on the shell. I like to call these SCORCHERS and they can happen for a number of reasons but the main one being NEW LAYERS. As the egg travels down the the oviduct it passes many blood vessels which can become cut or scraped causing blood to appear on the shell, it's quite common and usually not a issue to be concerned about.

Now let's talk about 

eggs with blood inside them...

Sometimes blood can also appear inside the egg (shown in this second image) due to a broken blood vessel or a tear in the oviduct, but don't panic as these are common and usually clear up on their own accord. When you buy eggs from the supermarket (for example) you never get this as these eggs are screened out and therefore never make it onto the supermarket shelves.

However blood inside the egg (shown in this third image) can happen as a result of other causes as well such as a prolapse, broken blood vessels, stuck eggs, large eggs and so on and could be a sign of worse things to come in which you may want to prepare yourself. You can find more information on eggs, issues, concerns and what causes oddities via our document here =>> by clicking here!!!


If you would like to watch this video of a chicken laying a rather big egg you you will understand why sometimes there is blood on the shells of eggs.

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