Eggs with no shells?!

[Destined2evolve]

Is it possible chickens can lay eggs with no shells?! Here’s our situation. We currently have 4 five month old hens that have been laying.
We also have four month old cinnamon queens and four month old Easter Eggers not laying. I am still currently only feeding them the starter chick crumbles feed. Not sure at what point it’s safe to give them feed with calcium? We are new to chickens and I thought you were supposed to wait until they were laying eggs and I wasn’t sure the four month old pullets could be given feed with calcium??
And when I do switch feeds do I also need to supplement with the oyster shells separately?? I have no idea what we’re doing lol! TIA

 

[nuthatched]

Keep feeding the the chick feed and have a separate bowl for the eggshells or oyster shells, there's no need for layer feed ever, IMO, the shells will be slow and steady calcium and the chick feed has great protein. Many laying feeds are short on protein and have too much calcium. You could also mix half chick feed with half layer and feed that to them if you don't want to do the oyster shell.

 

[sybonbon]

I got one today. Like a water balloon. Lol

 

[Fluffy Featherz]

They should get the layer feed with calcium when their about 4 to 5 months old. They usually lay eggs without the shell if their not getting enough calcium. So it’s safe to switch to the layer feed now. I mix the oyster shells with the feed and put it around the run too. I think it’s safe to do both. God bless

 

[Everose]

I always keep oyster shell around. Sometimes (maybe four times in 3-4 years of chicken keeping) I'll get a shelless egg, since they always have oyster shell it's a rare occurrence. Even my chicks can access the oyster shell but they don't

 

[aart]

I'd provide oyster shell in a separate feeder(not mixed with regular feed).
Sprinkle some out on the ground for a few days too.
I've never fed layer feed.

 

[Cooptown Lady]

They should get the layer feed with calcium when their about 4 to 5 months old. They usually lay eggs without the shell if their not getting enough calcium. So it’s safe to switch to the layer feed now. I mix the oyster shells with the feed and put it around the run too. I think it’s safe to do both. God blessI

You say you mix oyster shells with their feed and put it around their run too. THANK YOU! I've been wondering about doing that . . . .

It seems every time I read anything about oyster shell it says to put it in a separate feeder. I've been doing that with two results: 1) They ignore it or 2) They kick pine shavings into the shell feeder and cover it up.

Today I found an egg without a shell (four hens, four eggs almost every day, 8 mos. old).

From now on I'm mixing shell into their feed that goes into a feeder and and also scattering it like scratch. I might mix shell into the scratch feed so that they get more shell with their daily treat (and I won't have to remember!).

 

[aart]

It seems every time I read anything about oyster shell it says to put it in a separate feeder.

That's best.

I've been doing that with two results: 1) They ignore it

Also good to spread some around with the scratch so they learn what it is.

or 2) They kick pine shavings into the shell feeder and cover it up.

Put the shell feeder higher
I hang it on the wall.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/gallery/oyster-plastic-jar.7897731/

 

[Cooptown Lady]

That's best.


Also good to spread some around with the scratch so they learn what it is.


Put the shell feeder higher
I hang it on the wall.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/gallery/oyster-plastic-jar.7897731/

Love your oyster shell feeder! Why didn't I think of that?

I guess I thought the shell had to be right under their beaks, that they wouldn't pull it out of a feeder.

I know what my next coop project is!

 

[50-45-1]

At least one of your hens desperately needs more calcium.
Shelless eggs can lead to reproductive death so you need to act fast.
Swithch to a layer feed with calcium. Mix it at first with your remaining starter so they get accustomed to the new stuff.
I always recommend offering oyster shell and grit on the side. They need granite grit in order to chew and process the oyster shell adequately. You can also start saving your egg shells from your kitchen and letting them air dry a month or so and crushing them back to the chickens. Grit and oyster shell are a couple of the cheapest things you can buy for your chickens and both last a long time. It's like extra insurance for there health.
If you could figure out which hen is laying these shelless eggs you could feed her broken pieces of tums tablets to give her a boost.
Good luck!