Is It Safe To Eat An Egg With No Shell?

[featherbaby]

My silkie hen laid an egg with only a membrane, no trace of a shell. Although it's fragile, semi transparent and flexible, it is intact with no holes or openings. I picked it up a few seconds after it was laid. Is is safe to eat? I can't save it because I can't store it in anything but a bowl. It holds its shape but feels like warm jello.

She lays this kind of egg every time. She's been laying for 3-4 months. Is there anything I can give her to correct this problem? She has free choice oyster shell. I don't know whether she consumes it or not. I have put liquid calci-boost in wet food and try to fortify her food with milk, yogurt, broccoli....any calcium rich food. Still they are shell-less. Can anybody help? I don't want to sell her as a pet when she is a beautiful silky from very good bloodlines, but with this problem I can't use her as a breeder.

What would you do?

 

[imusa76]

I cook the ones with no shell and feed it back to them..

 

[boykin2010]

i wouldnt eat it there is no telling what germs got into it since it didnt have a shell.

 

[colby318]

It sounds as if you're doing everything right. Perhaps she will lay correct eggs as she matures. I wouldn't eat her eggs, though. I would worry about bacterial contamination.

 

[featherbaby]

I'm guessing your concern is that the membrane is permeable and may have absorbed bacteria through it's walls? It was actually dry enough and tough enough to pick up carefully. It reminded me of a water balloon. Not that I ever threw water balloons at anyone in my youth......wink, wink.

How long do you think it might be before she grows out of this? could it be a genetic mutation that won't change later on? I'm not anxious to replace her and will keep her a good while longer just to see.

 

[Illia]

Maybe I'm not as paraonoid, but. . . I've eaten about 5 eggs without a shell and NEVER gotten sick from them. They tasted the same, too.

The real question is - Would you trust it, knowing your own chickens' diet, cleanliness of feet, cleanliness of nesting box materials, etc. ?

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

There is a coating added to the shell when laid to keep bacteria from entering the egg. Since it was without a shell, I'd feed it back to the chickens.

 

[kla37]

Maybe it's some sort of genetic defect? If she has plenty of calcium.

 

[tornado8070]

I have ate these types of eggs when I was a kid and had no problems getting sick. As previously mentioned as its not all covered with poop. I would free choice some calcium carbonate to your chickens to see if that helps. It is relativly inexpensive and can be bought at any feed store. Hope this helps.

 

[featherbaby]

Do you think there would be any benefit to giving her calcium directly with an eyedropper? What would the dosage be and how often? She's a one year old silkie bantam.

Is Calcium Carbonate the same as Oyster shell grit?