⠀ internal egg breaking

[WSDtrainer]

I have had a larger number of hens than I would imagine seem "off" and pass later what appears to be the inside of the egg - no shell. They eat purina flock raiser, I give them grit and they free range. Should there not be a feed that has the proportion already in it of grit as a supplement? Is there anything else that can be causing this nutritionally in newly laying birds?

 

[fornax]

Clarification... are they laying a gooey mess, or a soft egg encased in a membrane?

 

[WSDtrainer]

goey mess - no membrane - just slime with yellow in it is the best description

 

[DrPatrickBiggs]

I would suggest that you put those birds on Purina Layena, since it is a complete diet for laying hens. Flock Raiser alone does not contain the right amount of calcium to support egg production. With Flock Raiser, you would also need to supply a source of calcium (oyster shell) to meet the needs of those birds. Grit and oyster shell are not the same thing. With a feed such as Flock Raiser or Layena, grit is not needed by the bird.

Shell-less eggs are a common occurrence with hens new to egg laying. But there are many other reasons that eggs come out shell-less. Are the birds being stressed? Especially at night? Do you have a predator that is stalking the birds at night and stressing them? Egg shells are typically made at night, if this process is disrupted by a predator, this could be the cause for the numerous shell-less eggs you are seeing. Remember, survival is priority one; egg formation is secondary.

Medical conditions can also be a cause for shell-less eggs. You may need to consult a veterinarian for more information on this.