Hoping I am in the wrong forum? Eggs without shells?

[Peril]

Yes they need Oyster Shells to get good strong eggs . or it could be they are eating to many salty things.

 

[Enchanted1s]

OK - Sometime last night - between 9pm and 6am - Littlebit laid a Blue shelled egg, in the coop. I found it broken on the floor this morning. THEN sometime today, she laid ANOTHER Blue shelled egg - in the nest box.

So - that is at least 3 days in a row that she has laid two eggs - either with or without a shell.

 

[sawilliams]

So your saying 6 eggs in 3 days right? Are you 100% sure the shelless are from her? I'm just wondering if, maybe, she's not the shell-less and just happens to be near by when you find them. 6 eggs in 3 days is really high for any chicken as it takes 22ish hours to produce, shell, and lay an egg. If she's really laying that many your looking at possible laying issues in her future. Would it be possible to confine her for a few days to comfirm it is her and not another hen? I'm sorry to be a pessimist about it but i haven't had any heavy layers live for very long, it seems to catch up with a lot of them quickly.

 

[Enchanted1s]

So your saying 6 eggs in 3 days right? Are you 100% sure the shelless are from her? I'm just wondering if, maybe, she's not the shell-less and just happens to be near by when you find them. 6 eggs in 3 days is really high for any chicken as it takes 22ish hours to produce, shell, and lay an egg. If she's really laying that many your looking at possible laying issues in her future. Would it be possible to confine her for a few days to comfirm it is her and not another hen? I'm sorry to be a pessimist about it but i haven't had any heavy layers live for very long, it seems to catch up with a lot of them quickly.

I was afraid of something like that I am 90% sure. We have only 4 hens that are laying. Only two that lay the blue eggs. The first shell-less egg, we saw her lay it. Both of the eggs found in the coop were under where LittleBit was perched. I have cameras on them and have been keeping a very close eye since she laid the first shell-less egg - knowing that was her 2nd for the day because we already had two blue shells that day AND THREE blue shells today, one broken in the coop, two in the box - only two blue layers.

Now, I don't know much about poultry - but here is my theory. These three young ladies were purchased together LittleBit & Gracey [Crested Cream Legbars] and Buffy [Buff Orpington] - all hatched 27 Nov 17. Gracey started laying 1st, right at 22 weeks. Buffy started later that same week. LittleBit did not. She held out for another 10-14 days. Is it possible that these eggs were forming and piling up inside then she learned that laying an egg wasn't so bad and now she is trying to clear them out.

It sounded reasonable when I thought of it LOL.

Please keep our LittleBit in your thoughts & prayers. She is our very first chicken that we purchased of our own desires. So far, she seems fine but I do know that this cannot be a good thing.

 

[sawilliams]

I was afraid of something like that I am 90% sure. We have only 4 hens that are laying. Only two that lay the blue eggs. The first shell-less egg, we saw her lay it. Both of the eggs found in the coop were under where LittleBit was perched. I have cameras on them and have been keeping a very close eye since she laid the first shell-less egg - knowing that was her 2nd for the day because we already had two blue shells that day AND THREE blue shells today, one broken in the coop, two in the box - only two blue layers.

Now, I don't know much about poultry - but here is my theory. These three young ladies were purchased together LittleBit & Gracey [Crested Cream Legbars] and Buffy [Buff Orpington] - all hatched 27 Nov 17. Gracey started laying 1st, right at 22 weeks. Buffy started later that same week. LittleBit did not. She held out for another 10-14 days. Is it possible that these eggs were forming and piling up inside then she learned that laying an egg wasn't so bad and now she is trying to clear them out.

It sounded reasonable when I thought of it LOL.

Please keep our LittleBit in your thoughts & prayers. She is our very first chicken that we purchased of our own desires. So far, she seems fine but I do know that this cannot be a good thing.

View attachment 1393456

I will keep you and your girl in my thoughts.
It's not likely they just built up before she started. It's more likely she is just way over producing. It is possible that the shell-less becuase it seems to follow a normal shell is just passing too fast due to laying the shelled egg. Hopefully for yours and her sake she will get the hang of things and her body will normalize her production. She is young as long as she can get it under control she could be just fine. But do keep an eye on her. Abdomenal swelling, a messy leaking vent, sudden unexplained stop in laying, heavy straining when laying, repeated returns to the nest with no eggs, or even just suddenly acting sick and weak could all be signs she needs help either from you or a vet. Some things, like egg bound can be dealt with at home but others will need a vet. The sooner you get her help if anything changes the better chances she will have, having a smaller flock of only 4 will make it easier to keep an eye on her. Research egg laying disorders, and start looking for a poultry vet in your area, they are few and far between and can be difficult to find when you need one, so having the info on hand will help if you need it. And knowing what to watch for will help you be able to diagnose and treat her sooner if she does have issues in three furture.

Unfortunately I have a larger flock now and can't always tell who is laying what. Unlike I'm first 6 hens that i knew each egg, I now have 12 currently laying 4 all identical green eggs and 4 identical hens that all lay brown eggs and I only have 4 (3 of my original 6) that i can still tell who laid what. It's very hard for me to know who is having trouble at this stage untill things have gone to far. I have another 10 pullets and 14 baby chicks that take my time away from the laying hens too.

 

[Enchanted1s]

No eggs in the coop this morning!! Yeah! I will update this evening to see if she lays yet again. For her sake - I am hoping she takes the day off. My camera fell this morning so I may not be as sure of who laid what today, but there are only two that lay blue.

Evening EDIT - Well only ONE Blue egg today. I am not certain if it was LittleBit or Gracey, but only one and no Shell-less eggs today.

 

[Enchanted1s]

The weekend continued with getting either one or two blue eggs each day. THEN, Monday we had only one blue egg, but it was HUGE. Bigger than any egg we had ever retrieved from any of our assorted hens over the years. I can only assume that this too was from our LittleBit.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

If a hen continues laying soft shelled, very small, very big, or odd shaped eggs then she has other issues going on with her. Most notably she has a misshaped of damaged shell gland, uterus or other miss-formed or damaged parts of her reproductive track. This may never fully resolve itself. The ailment Infectious Bronchitis is the most damaging but Newcastle Disease is also a distinct possibility.

Think back and try to remember if these chickens had any respiratory issues as young hens or pullets. Internal laying or egg peritonitis may also be associated with these diseases.

 

[sawilliams]

You probably got a double yolk, most likely due to her double laying. But she's laying a normal 1 egg a day now? that's good

 

[Enchanted1s]

If a hen continues laying soft shelled, very small, very big, or odd shaped eggs then she has other issues going on with her. Most notably she has a misshaped of damaged shell gland, uterus or other miss-formed or damaged parts of her reproductive track. This may never fully resolve itself. The ailment Infectious Bronchitis is the most damaging but Newcastle Disease is also a distinct possibility.

Think back and try to remember if these chickens had any respiratory issues as young hens or pullets. Internal laying or egg peritonitis may also be associated with these diseases.

We raised her (three total) since three days old. They were are first ever. Spoiled rotten and since they arrived on 29 November, they were raised inside and taken outside only when the temps were above 50 degrees, and only during the day. None of them ever had any health issues, were purchased from MyPetChicken and we did get them vaccinated. Fed non-medicated starter/grower until they started laying and now on layer pellets.

LittleBit was always the smallest and most high strung of the three, but never so extreme as to cause concern. NO blue eggs today We will certainly be keeping a close eye on her. Thank you all.