Eggs missing thick part of albumen

[Jrobb78]

Hello, this is my first time posting, so I’m sorry if this has been covered elsewhere, but I spent a lot of time searching and didn’t find this specific issue.

We currently have 5 hens, after losing 3 to foxes this year. They free range in our yard all day and are locked up at night. We feed them a high quality complete layer feed. They are a little over a year old, I have one ameraucana, two RIR and two silver laced Wyandottes.

My issue is that the eggs from all but the ameraucana are suddenly missing the thick part of the albumen, the part that the yolk sits on top of. They are not especially runny, I’ve had runny eggs before but this is different. The ameraucana was broody and then molted, and once she started laying again her eggs were perfect. The others are all in various stages of molting, could this be the problem? This is our first flock, so I have no basis for comparison. We are only averaging about 1-2 eggs a day from 5 chickens, so they are definitely not old eggs.

 

[CHlCKEN]

@aart

do you think that it’s from all of the hens? You say you are getting 1-2 eggs a day which leads me to believe it must be 2 certain girls. The others probably are just molting, and otherwise not laying. If you want to figure out the true culprits, you can out food due in their vent, each a different color. When you find the eggs in the nest box, you will se streaks of the dye and be able to figure out up who dun it, by matching the color streak to whoever you assigned that color. Chickens should not be laying during a molt, but faulty eggs pop up right before or after one, so I don’t think it’s a serious issue. Ive tagged art as well. I may be experienced in a lot of egg laying issues (unfortunately) but they have a lot more info than I can give, I hope we can help

and don’t worry, you shouldnt feel restricted from posting on here. Other threads are from other hens and their experience, info on there will not always match up to what your girls need, never feel like you aren’t allowed to ask questions!

 

[Ebony Rose]

During a molt, all available energy is spent in the regrowth of the feathers. You can speed this process by offering higher protein feed, such as 'feather fixer', or a game bird feed which typically offers 20% or higher protein levels etc. If those options are unavailable to you at this time, dry cat food offers 20% protein give or take, or high protein treats such as sardines, canned fish etc. can be offered while they're molting. During molt, chickens often stop laying eggs entirely; the fact that you're still getting eggs from them at all attests to the high quality nutrition that you provide for them on a regular basis. If you can just go this extra little bit, you might well push them over the hump to the high quality eggs that you expect and will certainly help them feather out faster.

 

[Jrobb78]

@aart

do you think that it’s from all of the hens? You say you are getting 1-2 eggs a day which leads me to believe it must be 2 certain girls. The others probably are just molting, and otherwise not laying. If you want to figure out the true culprits, you can out food due in their vent, each a different color. When you find the eggs in the nest box, you will se streaks of the dye and be able to figure out up who dun it, by matching the color streak to whoever you assigned that color. Chickens should not be laying during a molt, but faulty eggs pop up right before or after one, so I don’t think it’s a serious issue. Ive tagged art as well. I may be experienced in a lot of egg laying issues (unfortunately) but they have a lot more info than I can give, I hope we can help

and don’t worry, you shouldnt feel restricted from posting on here. Other threads are from other hens and their experience, info on there will not always match up to what your girls need, never feel like you aren’t allowed to ask questions!

That’s a good point, as one of the eggs is always from the ameraucana. I hadn’t thought about that!

 

[Jrobb78]

During a molt, all available energy is spent in the regrowth of the feathers. You can speed this process by offering higher protein feed, such as 'feather fixer', or a game bird feed which typically offers 20% or higher protein levels etc. If those options are unavailable to you at this time, dry cat food offers 20% protein give or take, or high protein treats such as sardines, canned fish etc. can be offered while they're molting. During molt, chickens often stop laying eggs entirely; the fact that you're still getting eggs from them at all attests to the high quality nutrition that you provide for them on a regular basis. If you can just go this extra little bit, you might well push them over the hump to the high quality eggs that you expect and will certainly help them feather out faster.

Thanks! I have cats, so I will try offering them some cat food.