Check out my yolks...

[chickenmomma16]

Weird year. (For hatching and eggs, let’s not get into world issues)

I‘ve been getting eggs with no single air cell. Instead it’s just bubbles in the egg white. These are my own eggs not shipped. I put them in my pocket and walk in the house and put them fat end up in an egg carton.

I‘ve also been getting yolks with dark areas on them. I collect daily. Sometimes twice a day.

Has anyone seen this before? What could be the cause?

(Sorry about the dirty bowl these eggs were for a dog snack and not human consumption)

 

[Gallinarium]

Oddly colored yolks are usually just from pigments in what they eat. Looks like they've been gorging on dandelion.

 

[chickenmomma16]

Oddly colored yolks are usually just from pigments in what they eat. Looks like they've been gorging on dandelion.

Can’t be dandelion because I can’t free range them due to a heavy coyote and Raccoon population. I’ve seen this in the yolks all season.

 

[Gallinarium]

Can’t be dandelion because I can’t free range them due to a heavy coyote and Raccoon population. I’ve seen this in the yolks all season.

Well, it's something. Did you switch feeds in the past two months or so? Otherwise, you might want to think diseases.

 

[chickenmomma16]

Well, it's something. Did you switch feeds in the past two months or so? Otherwise, you might want to think diseases.

No, they have been on Nutrena All flock pellet all season. With side dishes of oyster shell and grit. Some veggie/fruit scraps here and there but not often. I’ve had a bad year with hatch ability too. I loose quite a few eggs each batch. I’ll be done for the year in a week though. I’m trying to figure this out for next year.

I’m considering switching feed but the closest feed store only carries Nutrena products.

 

[Gallinarium]

It might be a problem in the feed, or a disease. You can buy food online...

 

[chickenmomma16]

@Gallinarium I’ll look into buying feed online... I hate to take business away from my local Family owned feed store though.

 

[RobertaD1]

@Gallinarium I’ll look into buying feed online... I hate to take business away from my local Family owned feed store though.

Ask your feed store if they can get their hands on something else. They usually bend over backwards for their good customers. As long as its not too expensive, like say Purina...its worth a try.

 

[aart]

I get some mottled yolks like that.
Not sure what causes it but I don't worry about it too much.

No air cell at all?
Are you checking by candling or looking at the membrane after opening them?
Fresh eggs have very small air cells(as you probably know).

Some of the birds that lay the mottled yolks are also the ones that have had detached or bubbles instead of a single air cell. I just chalked it up to 'bad' genetics.

#3 under 'yolks' in this article might shed some light:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

 

[chickenmomma16]

I get some mottled yolks like that.
Not sure what causes it but I don't worry about it too much.

No air cell at all?
Are you checking by candling or looking at the membrane after opening them?
Fresh eggs have very small air cells(as you probably know).

Some of the birds that lay the mottled yolks are also the ones that have had detached or bubbles instead of a single air cell. I just chalked it up to 'bad' genetics.

#3 under 'yolks' in this article might shed some light:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

Checking by Candling. The bubbles float around like a detached air cell. Thsee are my own fresh eggs BTW. I candle before I set eggs to make sure there are no cracks, shell quality is good and no loose or weird air cells. I get one or 2 every setting (I’ve done 9 batches so far this year)
You can kind of see it here. These are bubbles instead of one solid air cell.

Thanks for the article! No one particular thing stands out as to why I have odd yolks. I haven’t medicated them in anyway and they have constant oyster shell out. I’ll change some things and see if it helps. I’m done hatching for the year so these eggs will now be eaten anyway. I’ve got 7-8 months to improve things.