New layers--only yolk remains?

[thistlecreek]

We are new to young layers and our 7 ladies have just started laying. Right now, we have 3 confirmed layers and know that 2 have NOT started laying (because we don't have white eggs yet). We aren't sure on the final two. The current layers have never touched their eggs, but tonight I open up the box and there's yolk smeared over the nesting material in two spots in one of the boxes. I can NOT find a single trace of shell anywhere.

My questions are:

• Was this a shell-less egg from a new layer?
• Do I have to worry about them eating eggs from now on?
  • I have 4 ceramic eggs to serve as dummies but now I'm worried they have the taste and want more.
  • We check the boxes multiple times a day (probably 6-10 since we are so excited).
  • I did see my barred rock pecking at a ceramic egg earlier today but she also pecks at everything.
• If this was a shell-less egg, was it a fluke?
  • They eat plenty of oyster shell and are on a high quality organic layer pellet.
  • They are in a small portable coop with a large portable run. They also get to free-range when we work in the yard.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I am so worried I'll have a group of egg eaters and have to start culling them!

Thank you all so much!

 

[krista74]

Hi there

It certainly could have been a shell-less egg laid by a new layer. I have found two of these myself over the last couple of months. The yolk and white appeared normal but the whole egg was encased in a thin membrane instead of shell. One of these stayed whole under the roost until I found it, the other burst (like a water balloon!) in the nest box. Yucky!

It is not unusual for new layers to lay eggs with no shells, soft shells, no yolks, small sizes etc. It just takes a while for the egg factory to get things working properly and in the right order. You say that your girls have access to grit and proper nutrition, so I would write these off as practise eggs and not worry too much about them.

Egg eating is not as common as one might think. Don't get me wrong, it does happen. But it's not as often as some people assume. The ceramic eggs (or even golf balls) are a good deterrant. The hens will peck at them, realise they are getting no-where trying to eat them, and quickly give up. As a consequence they are unlikely to try pecking a real egg later on.

The other factor which can contribute to egg eating is boredom. I'm not advocating putting in a full on play-gym for your chicks (nor am I against it, lol) but access to a run for exercise is a great idea. Free ranging is even better! If they need to be kept confined, a treat cage or a cabbage head hanging from the roof to peck at can help keep them amused for hours.

You are already checking for eggs regularly (6-10 times a day should be adequate, ha ha!) so I think you're doing everything right. I know it's tempting to think the little blighters deliberately cracked open the egg and ate the whole thing in spite, but more than likely it just burst during the course of the days activities and they never even got a taste.

I'm sure you can look forward to many (whole) eggs to come in the future!

Krista

 

[thistlecreek]

Thank you so much Krista!

I found another yolk-spot in the lay box this morning (we had heard loud clucking about 30 minutes prior). I did catch my black star eating some of the yolk, but I guess i can't blame her. Once again there were NO signs of shells. I'm going to increase my egg checking even more today. I saw two of the ladies in the lay boxes just moments ago, so we will see what happens!

These chickens are pretty spoiled (their run is 16 feet long, 5.5 feet wide and complete with perches and a dust bathing pan. We move them every several days and usually free range them once a week. We would range them more but they are hard to get back into the coop and we have too many hawks around here (though our 2 dogs are great chicken protectors) That said, I think at least for the next few days, I'll try to give them more free range time.

Of course we are going out of town for 8 days next week so I'm extra-worried! I promised the house sitter eggs!

Thank you again!

 

[krista74]

That's a whole lot of pressure to perform for your dear chookies, ha ha!

Just make sure that you remove any egg remnants and any egg soaked hay from the nest boxes and coops. You don't want the curious ones to have a peck and get a taste for yummy eggs!

I'm sure it will be fine though. Hopefully the fully formed eggs won't be far away!

Krista