Aaackkk! Shelless Egg!

[teach1rusl]

So I'm walking around outside with the girls this afternoon when Ginger, my little EE girl (20 weeks) who just started laying last Wednesday, is standing off to herself a bit and standing funny, like she's uncomfortable. She's layed two perfect little green eggs so far, three days apart. Based on this, I figured she wouldn't lay again until tomorrow. But, thinking she's probably trying to pass an egg (possibly a bigger one since she looks so uncomfortable), I carry her into the coop and set her in front of a nest box. She barely gives it a look, and gets up on the roost instead, still kind of hunched over looking. The other girls filter in, not wanting to miss any action I guess. They all get up on the roosts. About 5 minutes later, I hear a sound like peeing, and my lead girl starts staring at the dropping board under Ginger. There's yellowish yolky stuff there, followed about 30 seconds later with a small jello-y egg (no shell...just tough membrane). I scoop it up and wipe up the yolky stuff (don't want them too interested in it), and run inside the house to do a "shelless egg" search.

So now I'm laying off scraps and scratch (although they don't get lots of either, they have been getting a little of both daily) for a week, other than some yogurt w/their layer crumbles mixed in, or maybe yogurt w/a few raisins mixed in. They have oyster shell available, but I'm mixing a little of that in with the yogurt too. I sure hope this works itself out... Any other recommendations?

I'm posting this here rather than emergencies, because I don't THINK it is one (right?). I read that this often happens when pullets first start laying???

 

[Karlachix]

It's not unusal for a new layer. All should be fine!

 

[hen-thusiast]

Yep.. it's not uncommon for new layers to have problems. It looks pretty gross, but I wouldn't worry.

Sounds like you are doing everything right!

 

[spammy]

I would not change the feed, she is laying. Takes a while to get everything organized. After taking a break mine usually start with a double yolker, primes the pump.

 

[felidaet]

I found a couple of these in my coop in the fall when my pullets first started laying. It only took a short time until they started laying normal eggs.

 

[sarabeth53]

I have a friend who had a hen who layed shelless eggs her whole life because of a calcium deficency. Even if you provide enough shells and layer crumble, something in their bodies just doesn't take it. This hen was perfectly healthy otherwise and lived a good long life.

No worries!