Egg yolk in coop

[SusanD]

Hi,

I found what looked like egg yolk on our coop floor this morning (yellow and didn't smell bad like runny droppings do). I'm not sure if I should be concerned about internal issues (such as egg yolk peritonitis or about egg eating (there was no sign of a shell)? I am also a little confused, as I would have thought that the dark would have kept them from laying. They are acting normally so far.

Thanks,

Susan

 

[sjturner79]

Hi,

I found what looked like egg yolk on our coop floor this morning (yellow and didn't smell bad like runny droppings do).  I'm not sure if I should be concerned about internal issues (such as egg yolk peritonitis or about egg eating (there was no sign of a shell)?  I am also a little confused, as I would have thought that the dark would have kept them from laying.  They are acting normally so far.  

Thanks,

Susan 

Did you get a pic? If you can I might be able to help work out what is going on.

 

[SusanD]

Thanks for your reply. I agree that a picture would be helpful and will take one if it happens again. I did wonder if they might be a little short on calcium, as I have been waiting to give them oyster shell until all three of them are laying (so far, two out of three are) and have been feeding them a mix of grower and layer feed. If I do give the two layers oystershell, can I trust the non-layer not to take more than she needs?

 

[sjturner79]

Thanks for your reply.  I agree that a picture would be helpful and will take one if it happens again.  I did wonder if they might be a little short on calcium, as I have been waiting to give them oyster shell until all three of them are laying (so far, two out of three are) and have been feeding them a mix of grower and layer feed.    If I do give the two layers oystershell, can I trust the non-layer not to take more than she needs?

As long as the oyster shell is not mixed into the food they will only eat as much of it as they need for thier calcium levels

 

[Lady of McCamley]

If it looked like an encased egg yolk without the shell, then you got a shell-less egg which happens naturally from time to time, often with pullets when they first begin to lay, sometimes with abrupt weather changes or heat.

If it was broken and running egg yolk with no shell, chances are someone broke a shell-less egg.

I wouldn't worry about it unless it begins to happen frequently.

They will eat only the oyster shell they need, and extra calcium offered can help with weak shelled and shell-less eggs.

LofMc

 

[SusanD]

Thanks all for your replies. I am a little confused on the calcium issue as I have heard different things. An employee at the feed store (I'm not sure what his experience is, maybe none) told me that the chickens should have enough calcium in their layer feed and not to supplement with the oystershell for fear of harming the chicken that's not laying yet. I decided that I would wait until all the chickens were laying as I didn't think it would take that long.

However, something happened today that made me wonder if I need to rethink the issue. One of my hens today laid a normal egg in the morning, I think (I saw her squatting) a shelless egg with a membrane in the evening, and I'm positive (I saw it come out of her) what looked like a yolk with a broken membrane just before going to bed. Does this sound like a normal glitch for a pullet starting laying (she's not quite six months yet), or should I be worried about her calcium levels (and maybe get the oystershell)?

My parents have been giving them a lot of treats including watermelon (we plan to stop that to see what happens) and our weather has been hot, so maybe that's part of the problem.

They are not showing any signs of illness, but I am somewhat concerned after reading that this can be cause by illness (such as infectious bronchitis or influenza). If the problem doesn't fix itself, at what point would I need to get them tested?

Thanks,
Susan

 

[sjturner79]

Thanks all for your replies. I am a little confused on the calcium issue as I have heard different things. An employee at the feed store (I'm not sure what his experience is, maybe none) told me that the chickens should have enough calcium in their layer feed and not to supplement with the oystershell for fear of harming the chicken that's not laying yet. I decided that I would wait until all the chickens were laying as I didn't think it would take that long.

However, something happened today that made me wonder if I need to rethink the issue. One of my hens today laid a normal egg in the morning, I think (I saw her squatting) a shelless egg with a membrane in the evening, and I'm positive (I saw it come out of her) what looked like a yolk with a broken membrane just before going to bed. Does this sound like a normal glitch for a pullet starting laying (she's not quite six months yet), or should I be worried about her calcium levels (and maybe get the oystershell)?

My parents have been giving them a lot of treats including watermelon (we plan to stop that to see what happens) and our weather has been hot, so maybe that's part of the problem.

They are not showing any signs of illness, but I am somewhat concerned after reading that this can be cause by illness (such as infectious bronchitis or influenza). If the problem doesn't fix itself, at what point would I need to get them tested?

Thanks,
Susan

OK - it sounds like the guy at your feed store is not an expert on backyard chickens.
The calcium content in layer feed can cause issues in non-laying chooks, but if you give them oyster shell in a separate container, Not mixed in with their feed, then only those chooks that need it will eat it.
High amounts of watermelon and hot days can cause overproduction increasing the need for calcium. Apple cider vinegar will also increase the need for additional calcium, or reduce the amount of calcium uptake by non-layers.
There is not much point in test for illness unless they show a change in behavior such as more or less friendly than usual, or slower to move, less willing to leave the coop, less willing to enter the coop,
or physical signs such as making a different noise or getting poopy backsides, or drippy noses.

You need to give them oyster shell as soon as you can get it. it should be available to them from the time they are 14 weeks, and then they can eat it if and when they need it.

 

[SusanD]

I will pick up some oystershell today.

Susan

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Hmmmm, I have a bit of different approach and thought.

IMHO, no, you do not need to supplement with oyster shell if you are giving a good quality layer feed as it has enough calcium in it for laying hens. I agree layer feed is only harmful if given too early to young chooks as it can damage their kidneys from too much calcium; but you are dealing with birds at point of lay. Depending upon your breed type, the commercial hybrids actually benefit from having layer feed around 14 weeks or so as their bodies mature very quickly. Adding oyster shell as a self feed supplement is a good way to ensure your birds will get enough, if any might be lacking, but it is not essential if you use layer feed. It's nice to have, and I offer my girls their share in free feed. No young chick will load up if they do not need it, so there is no worry there. Many chicken keepers use a flock formula for multi ages and set out oyster shell precisely so that the young birds don't get the extra calcium in layer while the older birds will supplement with shell. I personally have better results having the calcium in the layer feed as it is absorbed better and I get a lot less "gritty" shells with un-absorbed oyster or calcite grit spots.

ACV use does not reduce calcium in the system. I have heard that before and have found no evidence whatsoever to support that claim. Some basic biology can refute that fear. It is not like the egg experiment where the vinegar dissolves the calcium from the shell of an egg that is immersed in a highly concentrated acidic environment, leaching calcium. Think about it. The hens' gut is already acidic.The purpose of the gut is to break down food sources to extract minerals and nutrients...so allowing the proper gut ph helps with digestion and absorption of calcium. ACV in the water helps to keep the acidic environment that is already present in the hen, and yes, she could dissolve egg shells in her gut. She SHOULD be able to in order to take advantage of the calcium. You are also not giving a high concentration of ACV, just a tablespoon or two in a gallon of water to keep the ph up and provide good probiotics (the purpose of raw, unfiltered, with the mother). This helps a lot with immune support as the gut is the first line defense of the immune system.

Watermelon could be a diuretic if given in large quantity, that might mess with the ph and electrolytes, but the birds will monitor the intake, and are eating other things as well.So I would not suspicion too much watermelon. If anything, they would get the runs first to show you to back off of it.

If I understood your post correctly, you have new layers, and it is perfectly normal for new layers to have odd laying patterns until their systems settle into the rhythm. I suspicion your hen did not lay earlier, as new layers will often go into the nest box, mess around for some time, then come out without having laid. She went back in and laid the egg later, which was a soft shelled egg typical of new layers. Unless this continues daily for several weeks, I would not worry but expect an occasional "misfire" while she settled into laying. Be prepared it may get very odd before it gets better....very tiny eggs, shell less eggs, odd shaped eggs, then gradually nicer eggs as you've got new layers coming into lay during hot weather.

Poor laying habits can be the early symptom (and sometimes only symtom) of Infectious Bronchitis or Newcastle, but I would not jump to that as you've got new layers who would normally be giving odd laying patterns with their first eggs. IB usually produces a cough and "nick" while Newcastle has nasal discharge with swelling around the eyes and sinus area. If nobody looks sick (rumpled feathers and lethargy), I doubt it is illness. They may be overly hot since you state it has been hot. Heat can play a big factor in the laying cycle, which can produce odd egg results as well.

Supplement with lots of good fresh water, with ACV to keep their gut flora and calcium absorption optimum, add oyster shell free feed if you like, keep a good layer in the feeders, and let nature take its course. Providing cooling off areas, like a small child's wading pool, can help them cool off if you have really hot climate, as does providing a misting method for cooling. Again, heat can be a big factor in poor egg quality and production.

LofMc

ETA: I just caught your location...and YES we have been in a middle of a heat wave, then cooler weather, then hot weather. That can definitely mess with the layng cycle especially new layers. My experienced girls have backed off this last week after that really hot spell...you may even seen a few forced molts as the clouds come in. Weather in our area, as it is so variable, can definitely mess with the laying rhythm...the hen's laying cycle is monitored by her pituitary gland which is responsive to light, and her hormones respond to heat...rising body temperature is the first sign of the brooding process...cooling a broody hen is one way to curtail the hormones and bring her out of a brood...so the on again/off again heat we've been having will definitely mess with young layers!

 

[SusanD]

Thanks both of you for your advice. I did get some oystershell to try as I wanted to rule out lack of calcium as the problem. I have what should be a good layer feed, but it's possible they may not have been getting enough (I started at 19 weeks, mixed it with their grower feed, and my parents have been giving them lots of treats - in retrospect, maybe they didn't have enough of a calcium reserve built up).

They didn't really take to the oystershell, just pecked at it and spit it out for the most part. I'm hoping they will take some tomorrow, but if not, would it be a good idea to mix it with their feed? I also wondered about feeding them calcium rich treats and what would be the best treats for calcium (I know greens are supposed to be good, but which ones?).

The same hen laid a couple of soft shell/no shell eggs again today, so unfortunately it is beginning to look like a trend. I does concern me that maybe she's laying too fast (three yolks yesterday if you count the good egg, and two yolks today). Does that sound like illness or could it be just an out of sync laying cycle?