Egg Woes and We Just Can't Figure It Out

[slowlyshego]

Yolk does not mix with white while a chick is developing.

Agrees with Jed, could well be something they are eating or a genetic disorder.

All your birds are 18 months old?
Are all the eggs as described?
Is there any way you can confine the birds to rue out something they are eating out in range area?

Oh,and, Welcome to BYC...sorry you are having trouble.....that really stinks.

Thanks so much! Not all of them, but over half, I would say. Yes, they're all 18 months old. We butchered our last batch and started fresh, as we do, every couple of years. Yes, I could keep them locked up in their house, but it's so hot here that I hesitate to do that. How long do you think that would be necessary to do. I should be clear, this isn't blood spots, as I'm familiar with, this is like a whole ring of blood, mixed in with the yolky/whitey slurry.

 

[slowlyshego]

X2

Image 5 is deceptive as the yolk ruptured when the egg was cracked for photography, but you can see three yolk stays intact throughout development
View attachment 1101325

Ok, thank you for the pictures. This is not what I'm dealing with. My yolks are completely ruptured so that when I crack the egg open, a slurry of cloudy yellowish stuff pours out with blood all around it, not blood drops, but streams running through the yolk/white slurry.

 

[slowlyshego]

I'm going to quote a relevant paragraph from Gail Demerow's book The Chicken Health Handbook: "Soft-shelled, thin-shelled, or misshapen eggs, ruptured yolks within eggs, reduced production, and prolapse may be the result of either poor nutrition or infection. Watery whites and weak or misshapen shells with altered texture and strength can be caused by a viral respiratory disease, such as infectious bronchitis or Newcastle, or sometimes by vaccination. A coccidiostat in a hen's rations may alter egg size, color, and shell texture."

Demerow also cites Vitamin A deficiency as a cause of blood spots and pale yolks in eggs in chart 2-3.

It's a pretty comprehensive book and this information is all I could find that is relevant to your situation. Jed.

Thank you for taking the time to share this. I really appreciate it. This doesn't seem to be the issue. The birds are all totally healthy, no issues there. Also, it's not blood spots or pale yolks. The blood is mixed in swirls. I will see if I can get cellphone service to upload a picture (it's pretty spotty out here). Thank you!

 

[lazy gardener]

My guess is that you have some sort of disease process going on. A chicken does not have to act sick in order to be manifesting some abnormal signs. I'd call your local Country Agricultural Extension office, send some pics and talk to the county poultry representative.