hard egg shells

[tomfromsc]

I need some advise I have a broody hen setting and Sunday will be 21 days she set earlier this year and the hatch was unsuccessful and I think it was that the eggshells were so thick the chick could not pip I took the eggs from her at 25 days and opened them to see what had developed and the chick was fully formed ( very sad ) the only thing I can think of is the egg shell is to thick , everyone who has eaten these eggs has commented on that. What I want to know is there anything I can do to soften the egg shell just prior to pip time that will help the chick break out ...don't want the same thing to happen again...thanks

 

[sylviethecochin]

I wouldn't entirely discount the shell issue, but I've rarely had any shells that thick. They're thicker than store-bought eggs, yes, but they're not too thick for a chick to pip. It's certainly unusual for an entire nest to have shells that thick. Were all of the eggs from the same chicken? What are you feeding your hens?

It could very well be a nutritional or humidity disorder. Last week, I had eight eggs out of twenty-four that died in shell due to the high humidity here.

@Pyxis?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi there.

I'm gonna have to disagree, as folks who get my eggs joke about being able to bounce them off the floor without cracking and I've hatched hundreds of chicks successfully.

My best advice is let her be. Have you candled at night to see how many might still be viable? I would probably do that Friday or Saturday evening.

One of my favorite hatching resources... reasons for failure according to exact day start on page 52. Even though this is for incubator use, to me it's still relevant to broody hatches...
Incubation guide

Were you able to tell on your first hatch if the chicks had internally pipped or not? So many things can happen during incubation. Were the eggs from your own flock? What age breeders? What breed broody and age?

Since you ask about egg shell hardness and how you can effect it... what are you feeding including treats and supplements? Also, this can vary greatly by age and individual regardless of how you adjust your feed practice. But let's discuss it if ya want!

Hope this time is successful!

 

[tomfromsc]

thanks for the help I feed layer pellets with oyster on the side ,the eggs she has been sitting are from another hen that I have and she is a year old and I have only given her 2 eggs to hatch due to the size of their accommodations they free range almost daily and get scratch occasionally some excess veggies from the garden, sunflower, mealworms etc.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

thanks for the help I feed layer pellets with oyster on the side ,the eggs she has been sitting are from another hen that I have and she is a year old and I have only given her 2 eggs to hatch due to the size of their accommodations they free range almost daily and get scratch occasionally some excess veggies from the garden, sunflower, mealworms etc.

It sounds fine. You might be able to switch to a grower to flock raiser instead of layer which would increase protein (and amino acids, and possibly hatch) and allow them to take only as much oyster shell as they need instead of the 4+% in most layer feeds. This may lessen your shell strength... but I doubt it, since mine are described the same as yours.

22% protein has been shown to give the best hatch rates. The nutrients in layer may be fine for laying but possibly not enough to fully support another life forming. Also roosters (or non layers like juveniles and broody's) *could* (doesn't mean will) face issues such as gout or even kidney failure and death if fed too much calcium (>3%) long term... most often in birds who were predisposed genetically somehow. For this reason (I often have chicks, broody's, molters, or roosters) and because I have way too much invested in my stock, I never use layer feed... but prefer the Purina Flock Raiser... with 20% protein. It is around 1% calcium, and OS is free choice on the side for those that need it. Non layers sample but don't generally consume excess. This way I also don't have to worry about feeding chicks a separate feed as layer is too low in protein (and excess calcium) and can stunt growth even delay onset of laying.

Oddly one missing nutrient can be enough to make embryos quit. But as mentioned, it can be so many things.

I personally would never start with only 2 eggs as that's just not a very big chance. But I do understand space restrictions, and glad that you have fully considered that!

I hope you will update us.

 

[chickens really]

Well I'll say I never feed layer pellets to any of my breeding birds. I feed a Grower finisher feed at 16% protein and supply Oyster shell once a week during laying..My shells then are great for hatching..

 

[tomfromsc]

thanks for the advice... the layer feed I have been using is 16% and last year I fed both 16% layer for the 7 older birds and 22% grower/meat bird while the 5 pullets were growing, they are just over a year old now

 

[chickens really]

thanks for the advice... the layer feed I have been using is 16% and last year I fed both 16% layer for the 7 older birds and 22% grower/meat bird while the 5 pullets were growing, they are just over a year old now

It's the calcium levels that cause hard shells not protein