This morning, earlier than usual, there was an egg in the nesting box with no shell (but intact membrane). Has anyone ever seen this? Is it indicative of a mineral deficiency? My girls are out on pasture, have oyster shell and quality feed...
I have seen this. Sometimes it just happens. Especially if the hen is young. I don't know why. Not every egg can be perfect. Any one else have any ideas?
I had a hen a coulpe years back that did this once a month like clockwork. inspect carefully. If the egg has any other signs of being off...blood spots, foul-ish discharges on it, or the hen herself has something looks like it might be sickness...cull or fix it. It can be a sign of BAD disease ...the flock-killing kind. Some hens just do it every now and then. Who knows why? Enjoy, they DO taste just like the rest...just not as long a shelf life aas regular eggs.
Usually that is the hens first egg. Most of the time they eat it and you dont get the chance to see it. I have found numerous when the young start laying. Especially when they have not been moved to the coop yet.
I usually some shelless eggs everytime a new group of pullets start to lay. It usually clears up quickly as their bodies adjust to laying. Make sure they have oyster shell or another calcium source available.
yeah, as said before it just happens sometimes, even in wild birds. i still always ate the shell-less ones. they taste the same but you gotta poke 'em with a knife or something to get the good stuff out.
