I think I have a shell-less egg...

[alecia86]

Hi everyone. Yet another question from me! I've come home today to find in my nesting box, one egg plus a pile of soggy yellow wood shavings. They smell like yolk and the colour is like yolk. I can't see any white and there's no shell around or even any of the membrane that I can see.

One recently was sick and had antibiotics and they have both been getting wormed (last day today! Woohoo). Do you think this is the cause? They free range for about 3 hours per day on weekdays and probably 8 hours per day on the weekend. I have a bowl of grit in their coop but I did just check it and its a bit low (but not empty). Their coop has about 2mx 2m of grass/dirt in it, so they always have access to that.

We don't really know the origins of either chicken, so it could be that one is just getting old, but they both lay eggs most days.

Any ideas? From what. Could see of the shell-less eggs, they usually have a membrane, but I can't see that anywhere, it's just a pile of yolky wood shavings.

 

[sumi]

Shell-less eggs are usually caused by certain disease, insufficient calcium, immature shell gland (young hens) and occasionally a hiccough in the hen's system. It sounds like your hens ate the egg and left the yolk smears as clues. So you may want to keep an eye on them and nip that habit in the bud!

 

[chook master]

That sometimes happens with eggs. Sometimes they don't have a shell, or an egg white. I don't think it has anything to do with the medical condition, but if your chickens keep laying eggs without shells and with no white, then I recommend that you seek medical advice.

 

[alecia86]

Ok cool, thanks! I will keep an eye on them I haven't noticed any weak shells or anything lately - just this sudden one. Penny does lay eggs that are a bit elongated sometimes, but she's the one who has been sick & had a shot of antibiotics ( a week ago aswell, so that could've possibly caused problems with her making that particular egg)

Anyway I will keep an eye on her

(If they ate the egg, shell and all, there would be some evidence of shell, wouldn't there? And there was still an egg there, so I would've thought they would attack both?)

 

[sumi]

From my experience with egg eaters they leave smears of yolk mostly. No shell or white that I could see. I hope I'm wrong here, but do keep an eye just in case. If you do have a problem have a look at this article for solutions:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/six-tips-on-breaking-your-egg-eater

 

[alecia86]

Thank you sumi! I've just foud the egg membrane and egg white a few metres away. So I think they have definitely eaten it, but not sure if t ad a shell or not. I guess I'll wait and see what happens today