My hen is laying eggs w/o shells...what do I do??

[3scorpios]

I started a thread about this last week when I didn't know what was going on: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=585064 . But now that I see what the problem is, I wanted to start a new thread in hopes of getting some help to this specific situation.

 

[daddy_roo]

Im still kinda new to this but I would think that if she is of age to lay and she apears to be, that since the shell of an egg is mostly protien, and calcium, try uping those minerals. But as I said that is only my thought.

 

[jessicayarno]

How old is she?? I have a hen that is going to be culled, when we process our meat birds because she lays eggs with brittle thin shells..My chickens are free range and are supplemented with the best food you can buy in this area and always have access to oyster shell.. I think that some hens just have abnormalities, but I could be wrong.. I have had this hen since Jan and her eggs are still the same.. Good luck on figuring out what is causing it..

 

[Fred's Hens]

Based on the other thread, this is hen is claimed to "be about a year old".

I really don't like to speak ill of the "farmer" you are getting these hens from, this is now the second, so I'll be very careful with my words, but so far, the track record isn't good. Do you not have a better source for healthier stock? This concerns me because I am suggesting that this hen was knowingly sold to you in this condition and that this condition would have been obvious at the time of sale. Again, really, really don't like putting down a guy we do not know and who cannot defend himself, but this just isn't good. Not good at all.

 

[3scorpios]

Quote:
My hens are also free range, have constant access to oyster shells and layer mash, plus I feed them healthy treats. I am new to raising chickens, just got my first flock a couple weeks ago. The others are about 5 months old, but this one is a year old. She is a replacement for one of my original six pullets that was eating eggs. I told the man I bought her from that one of the pullets was eating eggs and he exchanged the egg-eater for this hen. She has been acting strange since the day I got her, about a week ago. I told the man I bought her from about her behavior (stands very still w/ eyes closed, doesn't walk around much, moves very slowly) and he said maybe she was just getting acclimated to the new home. Since she hasn't improved in a week, I brought her inside today and put her in a crate so I could observe her more carefully, that's when I noticed her squirting egg right out of her vent - no shell at all. First it was the white, then a little while later the yolk (as seen in the photo).

 

[3scorpios]

Fred's Hens :

Based on the other thread, this is hen is claimed to "be about a year old".

I really don't like to speak ill of the "farmer" you are getting these hens from, this is now the second, so I'll be very careful with my words, but so far, the track record isn't good. Do you not have a better source for healthier stock? This concerns me because I am suggesting that this hen was knowingly sold to you in this condition and that this condition would have been obvious at the time of sale. Again, really, really don't like putting down a guy we do not know and who cannot defend himself, but this just isn't good. Not good at all.

I completely understand why you'd feel that way, I would be inclined to think the same except the man has a very good reputation. He was referred to me by a friend, and is known for being an honest man. Perhaps he wasn't aware that the hen has a problem because he has about 50 hens and may not be able to observe them throughout the day. I have just these six and I work from home, thus I'm able to watch them through my window throughout the day. If he were a total stranger I'd be skeptical, but in this case I really don't think he knew. He only charged me $5/each for the pullets, so he gave me a pretty good deal to begin with. I'm sure if I tell him about this hen, he'll make it right, but I'd really like to know what causes this and if there is any treatment for it.​