Got a shelless egg today

[mountainbunny]

I've read about shelless eggs here and there so I was not shocked when I found one today... But now I'm wondering whether to worry or not. My 5 hens have just started laying in October. For a while I was getting up to 5 eggs a day. Slowly it has decreased to one day I still got 5 then the next day 4. Then about 3 a day. Yesterday only 2. Today again 2 ... One being the shelless egg. It had a membrane. I feed them layer crumbled and have started putting out scratch for colder weather. I used to give them oyster shells but I stopped because the didn't seem to need it. I was finding the eggs had a little of what looked like calcium deposits on the shells (not much) so I stopped oyster shells about a month ago and all has been fine. I tossed a little serving of shells in the coop today after finding the shelless egg. Guess I just need to wait and see if it keeps happening or if it was just a fluke. At this point of winter in just happy to be getting any amount of eggs and keeping my flock healthy of course.

 

[SueT]

It's not unusual to get an occasional soft egg. And it's not unusual to lay less in the winter. Layer feed should have all they need but it doesn't hurt to give free choice of oyster shell just to make sure. They are young yet. I'd say not to worry. Good luck!
People may want to know what breed(s) they are.

 

[mountainbunny]

This is what I was thinking, but it never hurts to question and be safe. Thanks for the info. The shelless egg either came from one of my Buff Orphs or Barred Rocks. My mixed breed already layed a nice big egg 1st thing this morning.

 

[GC-Raptor]

mountainbunny
My 9 month pullets have free access to oyster shell in a separate container, granite grit, separate container, layers pellets and water 24/7. I used to get soft shelled eggs on layers pellets before I added oyster shell. I haven't had a soft shell in months. I get white speckled eggs occasionally

nothing to worry about in my opinion. GC

 

[Little Fuzzy]

I've read about shelless eggs here and there so I was not shocked when I found one today... But now I'm wondering whether to worry or not. My 5 hens have just started laying in October. For a while I was getting up to 5 eggs a day. Slowly it has decreased to one day I still got 5 then the next day 4. Then about 3 a day. Yesterday only 2. Today again 2 ... One being the shelless egg. It had a membrane. I feed them layer crumbled and have started putting out scratch for colder weather. I used to give them oyster shells but I stopped because the didn't seem to need it. I was finding the eggs had a little of what looked like calcium deposits on the shells (not much) so I stopped oyster shells about a month ago and all has been fine. I tossed a little serving of shells in the coop today after finding the shelless egg. Guess I just need to wait and see if it keeps happening or if it was just a fluke. At this point of winter in just happy to be getting any amount of eggs and keeping my flock healthy of course.

Yea I'v been getting shellless eggs also lately. I think they are starting to lay again after molt and winter. I hope they are just warming up.

 

[Little Fuzzy]

mountainbunny
My 9 month pullets have free access to oyster shell in a separate container, granite grit, separate container, layers pellets and water 24/7. I used to get soft shelled eggs on layers pellets before I added oyster shell. I haven't had a soft shell in months. I get white speckled eggs occasionally nothing to worry about in my opinion. GC

My hens just went through two bags of feather fixer because of heavy molt, but I had Oyster shell on the side, which doesn't like like they have touched it.

 

[GC-Raptor]

My hens just went through two bags of feather fixer because of heavy molt, but I had Oyster shell on the side, which doesn't like like they have touched it.

Yeah they won't touch it if they aren't laying or are laying occasionally while on feather fixer as it has 3.5 percent calcium. GC