Egg Without Shell

[Cee]

I have 17 pullets 21 weeks old, some of them beginning to lay. I feed em All Flock with oyster shell on the side. I have 4 cockerels (anticipating, planning for problems) and 2 ducks. I have found a couple of eggs without shells on the poop boards in the morning. See attached picture. I think this is normal?

 

[Aapomp831]

For pullets just starting to lay, expect some wonky eggs. Their reproductive systems are still maturing and figuring things out. They will get better.

 

[lbgreenfield]

Hi - soft shell eggs are typical of new layers. Are you providing free choice oyster shell to help them kick start their systems? The extra calcium is needed for strong shells, in addition to the calcium in their all-flock feed.

I would recommend getting some oyster shell and offering it to the girls to eat, free choice. You can also supplement their diet with scrambled eggs, canned tuna, yogurt, certain types of greens (kale, collards) for extra calcium. All else fails, you can dose directly into the crop with liquid calcium or can feed them crushed up Tums (I hide my Tums chunks in blueberries).

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I have 17 pullets 21 weeks old, some of them beginning to lay. I feed em All Flock with oyster shell on the side. I have 4 cockerels (anticipating, planning for problems) and 2 ducks. I have found a couple of eggs without shells on the poop boards in the morning. Or the shell is there but very soft and squishy? See attached picture. I think this is normal?

Completely normal new layer hiccup of the reproductive system coming on line and working out it's kinks in the shell gland, etc.

As long as adequate diet is being provided no need for magic fixes in MOST cases. According to the statement given of all flock plus OS, that should be perfectly acceptable!

I also use flock raiser with OS on the side.. ZERO problems for years on end.. and my birds have less harsh molts returning to lay sooner.. Since learning the difference I never use "layer" feed.

The part that doesn't seem normal to me.. that egg pic looks cooked like soft boiled.. is that just the photo??

 

[Cee]

Hi - soft shell eggs are typical of new layers. Are you providing free choice oyster shell to help them kick start their systems? The extra calcium is needed for strong shells, in addition to the calcium in their all-flock feed.

I would recommend getting some oyster shell and offering it to the girls to eat, free choice. You can also supplement their diet with scrambled eggs, canned tuna, yogurt, certain types of greens (kale, collards) for extra calcium. All else fails, you can dose directly into the crop with liquid calcium or can feed them crushed up Tums (I hide my Tums chunks in blueberries).

Hi - soft shell eggs are typical of new layers. Are you providing free choice oyster shell to help them kick start their systems? The extra calcium is needed for strong shells, in addition to the calcium in their all-flock feed.

I would recommend getting some oyster shell and offering it to the girls to eat, free choice. You can also supplement their diet with scrambled eggs, canned tuna, yogurt, certain types of greens (kale, collards) for extra calcium. All else fails, you can dose directly into the crop with liquid calcium or can feed them crushed up Tums (I hide my Tums chunks in blueberries).

Not sure how to respond. I mean no disrespect at all. But I must politely ask, did you read my entire post?
I'm confused.

 

[Cee]

Completely normal new layer hiccup of the reproductive system coming on line and working out it's kinks in the shell gland, etc.

As long as adequate diet is being provided no need for magic fixes in MOST cases. According to the statement given of all flock plus OS, that should be perfectly acceptable!

I also use flock raiser with OS on the side.. ZERO problems for years on end.. and my birds have less harsh molts returning to lay sooner.. Since learning the difference I never use "layer" feed.

The part that doesn't seem normal to me.. that egg pic looks cooked like soft boiled.. is that just the photo??

Thank you! Yes I feed them all flock with OS on the side. What with the cockerels and the ducks seemed like the best approach. The egg shells are nice, thick, strong.

No, the photo is accurate it's really weird. It felt thick and rubbery when I touched it.

 

[lbgreenfield]

Not sure how to respond. I mean no disrespect at all. But I must politely ask, did you read my entire post?
I'm confused.

Whoops! Skimmed your post while on my lunch break. Advice that @EggSighted4Life gave is good too. New layers tend to have some issues getting their systems started for egg laying. What I recommended for extra calcium may also help as well.

 

[Cee]

Whoops! Skimmed your post while on my lunch break. Advice that @EggSighted4Life gave is good too. New layers tend to have some issues getting their systems started for egg laying. What I recommended for extra calcium may also help as well.

LOL no worries. I was wondering.

 

[aart]

Yes I feed them all flock with OS on the side.

Are they eating it?
Sometimes pullets don't 'get' eating the shell.

What with the cockerels

I have 4 cockerels

Do you plan on keeping these boys?
They can be stress inducers, which can effect laying.

 

[Cee]

Are they eating it?
Sometimes pullets don't 'get' eating the shell.


Do you plan on keeping these boys?
They can be stress inducers, which can effect laying.

I see that the shell is disappearing but I don't know for sure if all of them are eating it all the time.. I ordered some leg bands so I can tell them apart. That should help figure out who is or isn't eating it. Once I figure out who isn't eating the shellmaybe I can hide the shell inside a treat?

I am getting those boys out of there any day now.
Found a free coop and working out pick up details now. The boys are picking on the 3 lowest girls in the pecking order. Black Australorps. The other girls aren't having it. At any rate the boys are moving out. Do you have a recommendation as to how long to keep them separated? I read anything from 9 months to a year and a half.
At least the boys are respectful with people.
Also thinking about spraying the free used coop with some kind of insecticide. Recommendations?