hens laying watery eggs

Just posting a follow-up. Having read a bit more about egg drop syndrome and failing to find anything that provided specific description that matched the poor interior quality of Dulci's eggs, I have backed off this theory. It helps that apparently this condition has not been recognized in the U.S. (according to the websites I perused).

The other suggestions I received were to increase protein uptake and administer vitamins and/or antibiotics.

I increased Dulci's protein but this made no difference. Yesterday's egg had a yolk so weak that it broke, and the past two eggs had very little albumen, which appeared to be free-floating in a sea of watery liquid, with no attachment to the yolk. Dulci's eggs are sometimes irregularly shaped, which someone suggested means that it's taking her too long to evacuate the egg from her body. So it might be some internal mechanism going wrong or that her body isn't able to process the nutrients she's receiving (making vitamins a good idea).

I've yet to give her vitamins (or antibiotics as someone else suggested)--have not been able to get out to the feed stores and also realized I could replace her with a healthy pullet for the same price. (In a flock of 3, every egg counts.) So at the moment I'm going with the theory that Dulci's egg problems are due to her own individual traits. I've been happy to find people who are willing to adopt her for the pleasure of her company rather than for her eggs, and who are fully aware of the problems she's been having so that they know what they're getting into and can make their own decision about whether or not this presents a risk to their other hens.

My other two hens, upon closer examination, are laying eggs that might in fact be normal for their 2+ years: firm yolks, firm albumen, and then some runnier whites along the edges.

I have appreciated every piece of feedback I've received as it's all been extremely helpful to me. Thanks again!

reesepoultry said:

Your birds could also have this infection: I believe this is what you thought they had:


Infectious bronchitis


Infectious bronchitis is a highly contagious respiratory disease. The disease is caused bya virus which is moderately resistant, but can be destroyed by many common disinfectants.


Infectious bronchitis occurs only in chickens (Infectious bronchitis is different from Quailbronchitis which affects Bobwhite Quail). All ages of chickens are susceptible to infectiousbronchitis. In laying hens it is characterized by respiratory signs (gasping, sneezing, coughing)and a marked decrease in egg production. Egg quality is also adversely affected. Low eggquality and shell irregularities (soft-shelled or mis-shapened) may persist long after an outbreak.Chickens that have had infectious bronchitis, especially during the first week of life, maynever be good layers.


There is no effective treatment for infectious bronchitis, although broad spectrum antibioticsfor 3 to 5 days may aid in controlling secondary bacterial infections. Vaccines can be usedfor prevention, but they are only effective if they contain the right serotypes of virus fora given area. Infectious bronchitis vaccine is often combined with Newcastle vaccine in thesame vial.

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Check this out http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/oxine.htm