HELP I found yolk frozen on my patio

navychick

Songster
8 Years
May 17, 2011
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I need your advice. We have 12 hens 6 months old. 3 EE, 3BR, 3SLW & 3 BO. Just before Christmas an EE and a BR layed their first eggs. Last week another EE & BR layed. And as of today I believe all 3 EE's and BR are laying. On two occasions in the last week I have found the reminant of an egg (small soft, flat, smashed, the inside appeared not to have a yolk as there was nothing yellow to it) on the poop board and assumed these were eggs that didn't form correctly. I have no idea who layed these. Tonight after I locked up the girls there appeared to be a frozen yolk on my concrete patio.
My girl's free range during the day and I haven't seen any evidence that they would lay around the yard as they seem to like their nesting boxes. How concerned should I be and how can I determine who layed this yolk and possibly has not expelled the shell? They all appear healthy and happy. Please tell me what I should do? They are in their coop for the night and I could easily examine them now if I knew what to look for or if you think I should. Thanks -Tamara
 
I am no expert, but when my hens first started laying I also found a shell-less egg inside the coop where they usually roost. I've also on two occasions found a mass of egg material that has become covered with wood shavings on the floor of the coop. I'm not certain if these came from more shell-less eggs, or whether an egg became broken and the hens ate the shells (which I know hens will sometimes do).

Either way, I don't believe that you have to worry about un-expelled shells. I think sometimes it takes awhile for a young chicken to get all of her egg laying apparatus functioning efficiently. Perhaps there will be more comments from folks with more experience.
 
My BR layed two rubbery partially-shelled floor eggs last week and hasn't layed anything since. I think she's just not mature everywhere yet, so I'm not too worried. She knows where the nest box is and has made trips to it and done a bit of the laying song, but I think she's just not ready to lay regular eggs yet. Big Red started laying last week and hasn't stopped - 5 eggs in 7 days, pretty little brown eggs, so cute! Whitey isn't ready yet - she seems like she might be a bit younger than the other two.

I am so excited to fing Big Red's eggs in the morning, that I haven't really worried about the other two, but I know I'm going to be over the moon when all 3 start laying!

Kate
 
I think when they first start laying an incomplete egg or two is normal. I've had one under the
roost, a couple in the nesting boxes, and one in the yard. I have gotten several gigantic double-yolkers, too, as their systems get into 'normal' mode.

My girls have been laying since the 30th of October. Sunday I got my third baby egg and today I got an egg - looks otherwise completely normal - with a slimy membrane covering the whole outside. I plan to use it tomorrow to see if the inside is good.

Don't be concerned.
 

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