Papery egg problem

[pipscariad]

One of my chooks has an on/off problem with laying eggs that don't have a shell, just the thin, papery membrane. They tend to fall through the roosting bars and I find them in the tray underneath, so wierdly she doesn't get in the nesting box to lay them. It only happens every few days or so - most of the time she lays 'normal' eggs - in fact, she has laid some whoppers, including a 90g triple yolker ! Just lately though it seems to be happening more often - any ideas why this may be, and anything I can do about it? (Thinks.... must buy some sort of hen keeping book for info...)

The hens have layers pellets as their main food, (I add mixed grit to that), and they forage about in a field during the day - neither of the other two have had the same problem, so methinks it must be the hen rather than the situation. She seems fine in herself, and looks healthy. Bit of a mystery, would be grateful for your thoughts on this folks?

[milly2306]

soft shells

hi
it is quite common for hens to lay eggs like this occasionally. if it happens regularly it is normally for one of 2 reasons
1 - lack of calcium in feed
2 - the hen is disturbed before laying, sometimes just by other hens, they like to lay in private!
if it is not happening too often or the hen doesn't seem poorly i would try limiting treats and adding more grit to the feed. ground up eggshells which have been baked in the oven is a good way to give the hens grit, however mine will happily eat egggshells that i just break up a little and put in the run
xxxmillyxxx

[MaureenHall]

no-shell eggs

I've been through this with one of mine (or maybe two). I thought it might be a calcium deficiency, or re-feathering (they're all ex-battery) or something that was making them a bit run down. I gave them some poultry spice in a porridgy mash made with their pellets mixed with hot water, cooked mashed potatoes and they loved it! I also did a de-worming and a de-louse on all of them even though there were no signs of lice, red-mite-powdered the coop at cleaning time, and put some Life Gueard tonic in their water - all to make sure nothing could be stressing them. Also put down plenty of grit. Hopefully it was just a temporary phase, though I do still occasionally get a big one with a very fragile shell. The eggs are now getting a bit smaller, but more of them. I've also cut down drastically on their "treats", I did spoil them rotten and it wasn't doing them any good, so the treats are now a cabbage every 2 or 3 days (hung up so they make it last longer and get more exercise ) and a handfull of mixed seeds and corn chucked over the soil about an hour before bedtime

Good luck - I think it might be a case of "Patience is a virtue"

[Hilary B]

Could these eggs each be the last in a 'clutch' before she has a day off laying? Some hens will lay a shell-less egg on those days. If she is going to lay one without a shell, she may not realise it is an egg that is 'coming out', so won't bother with the nest box....

[pipscariad]

Could these eggs each be the last in a 'clutch' before she has a day off laying? Some hens will lay a shell-less egg on those days. If she is going to lay one without a shell, she may not realise it is an egg that is 'coming out', so won't bother with the nest box....

This could be the case. I must keep a note of when she does it, so I could see if this tallies. She has laid the most gynormous egg today, must have made her eyes water! She's obviously trying to make up for the non-eggs!!

Thanks for your information folks, as always you are a fund of knowledge (maybe I don't need that book after all!). As long as Dusty, the hen concerned, seems healthy and happy, I think I shall just have to resign myself to the odd wasted egg - seems such a shame though, especially as there was a 'double yolker' one in there the other day.

[kirsty b]

Had my first double yolker yesterday too. My hens went off lay for a bit and have only just picked up, but one or two of them are laying huge eggs. The double one came out looking wrinkled, with a weak shell and had a crack in it. I took a pic because I couldn't believe the size I really hope that particular hen is going to have a rest today!

[frias]

I am also getting this problem this week. Yesterday there were 2 eggs without shells in the coop when I let the girls out. Later there was another one in the nestbox along with 4 good eggs. This made it seven eggs and I only have 6 chooks. This morning there is another shell-less egg. Don't know who is laying it and is is possible to lay 2 like that in one day? I mix poultry spice with any veg in the afternoon and they all have access to mineral grit. They also get their own eggshells baked and put back in their food each day.

[Birdie Wife]

I think this becomes a more common problem this time of year when hens are going through, or just about to start, a moult. Try some vitamin-rich treats (eg. marmite on toast, porridge made with milk) with extra poultry spice, and make sure they have constant access to oystergrit.

[sunflower]

Try spreading oyster shell in the run. The grit is for grinding down their food, whilst the oyster shell is for encouraging hard shells.

[MaureenHall]

Try mixing a handful of corn and grit/shell together and scatter it. Seems to be working for mine, though there's still the occasional "squashy"

[cottage garden]

I have 12 chickens....11 of them lay beautifully but one chicken always has fragile shells...they are normally squashed by the time I collect them in the evening. She has laid a couple of harder shells but they are knobbly and look very uncomfortable to push out. All mine have grit, vitamins, ground shells etc.....but to no avail...It just seems to be her way.