My Shelless Egg - Pictures

[moderndayhippy]

I got this egg from one my girls yesterday. This has never happened before, and they have access to free range on grass, and also get Layena daily & grit once a week too. So I'm not sure why this would happen? I broke it open and there was no white, only the yolk. It was very strange. Here are some pictures of it. Do you think this is just a fluke?

 

[sgtmom52]

It's just a hiccup in the egg process ~ missed the shell station. I call them jello eggs and feed them to the dogs. They usually come from a new layer.

 

[feathersnuggles]

make sure they have access to crushed well-flaked oyster shell - you can get it from the feedstores. they need an available constant source of calcium, especially when they eating free-range stuff and anything that isn't layer feed. the eggshell is made of calcium carbonate.

 

[moderndayhippy]

I am pretty sure that there is oyster shell in Layena. I'll go double check, but I think there is. Do they need more beyond that?

When I went out today to gather eggs, I noticed one of our Black Sexlinks in the nesting box. I went out later to get her egg, and although it had a shell, it was a very thin one. So now I'm wondering if she was the one who laid the shelless one yesterday, or if it was another hen. I feel so badly for the poor babies. We never used to let them freerange, but instead threw some grass in to them each day. Now that we got our Buffs, I've been letting them all out together each day to stretch their legs for a bit. I wonder if the extra grass and less pellets is what has suddenly done this to them? We've owned the Sexlinks for 2 months now, and this is the first that this has ever happened.

So many interesting things to learn when you're a chicken owner!

 

[bigoakhunter]

It appers to be an oops of the laying process...as I had free choice oyster shell in the run and feed good quality feed with occasional treats. I got one of the shelless eggs 2 weeks ago. 1st one out of flock of 18 layers. It should not be on a regular basis.

 

[feathersnuggles]

Quote:
If they eat anything besides their layer feed, they need extra calcium offered. Offer them the crushed oyster shell if they free-range or if you feed them any treats or grass.

Any hen can lay a shell-less egg or have temporary problems with the egg-laying process. However, hens that don't get enough calcium will run the risk of consistent shell problems - with the potential an egg will break inside the hen. That's fatal. I wouldn't take risks with the calcium issue. Every hen has different calcium needs, depending upon so many things. It's not expensive, you can pick it up at the feedstores.

 

[gryeyes]

If they're eating other stuff, free ranging, that lowers the calcium percentage they're getting; they're probably getting enough protein from bugs and stuff like that, though.

Right after I started letting my pullets free range, I got a "jello" egg and then a thin-shelled one, just like you did. So I have put out oyster shell for them to take at will (from an empty tuna can nailed to the wall inside the coop), and occasionally I toss some out when I've already given them treats and they still want more.

Layena and other layer feeds really do not have a whole bunch of calcium in them; one bag of mine even mentioned to offer oyster shell additives.

 

[joe17]

I used to put eggs in vinegar and it makes the eggs like yours! Its soooo cool.

 

[feathersnuggles]

Quote:
Hey, I do the SAME thing! Large tuna can nailed to a wall inside their covered run.

 

[Annabella]

Does giving milk and/or yoghurt count as extra calcium for them, or is it only oyster shell?