egg yolk on eggs in nest

[Carolyn]

I have 7 hens and have been getting 4 brown eggs/ day for a week or 2 (I am not sure if the austrolorp and easter egger are laying.) Today there were 3 eggs all with dried egg yolk on them. I didn't see any shells.
DH saw a black racer (snake) in another part of the yard today. Could the snake have broken one trying to swallow it or do I have an egg eater?
They are in a run with chicken wire on all sides and bottoms. I am pretty sure that a bigger animal did not get in there.

 

[rooster-red]

Sounds like you may have an egg eater.
They will eat the shell, so not much evidence is left except for yolk.

 

[patandchickens]

another possibility is that someone's laying shellless or very soft-shelled eggs -- they would eat most of it (wouldn't you, if you were a chicken and it were just sitting there? I wouldn't call that really the same thing as an ACTUAL egg-eater).

Unless these are pullets just starting into lay, you might want to make extra sure they have some oystershell or crushed eggshell available to them free-choice.

Good luck, whichever the problem is,

Pat

 

[Carolyn]

They are new layers. The last 2 days the count has gone up to 5 per day. The yolk only egg does make sense and if the yolk broke there was about the right amount left on the other eggs and straw. Thanks for both replies.
One laid a huge egg today and another laid a very tiny one. Guess they could still be in their learning curve, huh?

 

[rooster-red]

If they are new layers it is very possible that soft shelled or no shelled eggs are being layed, and they are very tempting for the hens to eat.