Orange yolks, thin shells and sometimes shell less eggs-what could be the issue

[Luettgenchicken]

I think it’s my barred rock that is having laying issues. First we were running into the barred rock and the lavender Orpington breaking and eating the eggs. We added fake eggs and that seem to help a little bit. But now we’re getting shellless eggs and or very weak eggs. I have a oyster shells always in their feed and we’ve been grinding up eggshells and putting it in their feed. I also fed them some cooked broccoli and corn, hoping that helps with vitamins . Also one waterer has apple cider vinegar with mother mixed in. I was reading some of the other threads wondering if it’s another issue but just not sure. Today I got this very thin shell egg which accidentally broke so I fried it and gave it back to chickens. I know the orange yoke is supposed to be desirable, but I’m not really doing anything different that would cause that. Do you think it’s from the feed or there’s something else going on? About three weeks ago we just finished a bag of black sunflower seeds. So that shouldn’t have affected it now?. With so many variables it doesn’t seem like any of the other things with similar issues. This chicken is 2 years old. Acts normal otherwise.

 

[DotToDot]

Orange yolks aren’t bad- they’re a sign of a healthy chicken, and are packed with nutrients!
On the other hand, it‘s weird about your soft eggs, especially since you’re giving them shells. Do you have enough bedding in your nest boxes?

 

[Luettgenchicken]

Orange yolks aren’t bad- they’re a sign of a healthy chicken, and are packed with nutrients!
On the other hand, it‘s weird about your soft eggs, especially since you’re giving them shells. Do you have enough bedding in your nest boxes?

Yes, they are filled with straw. I just cleaned them out yesterday and used a granular mix under the straw. Its supposed to help keep odor down and bugs away. I think it has some DE in it. Its weird that we are just now getting orange eggs with problems like this. Like it should be a sign of health right? But not the shellless or fragile shell.

 

[Luettgenchicken]

This is another chicken and when I picked it up water ran out of it. Wasn’t like egg white it was water. Super soft shell. Like tissue paper or maybe a bit harder. Again orange yolk. This is from our amber link.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

now we’re getting shellless eggs and or very weak eggs. I have a oyster shells always in their feed and we’ve been grinding up eggshells and putting it in their feed. I also fed them some cooked broccoli and corn, hoping that helps with vitamins

Cut out the treats for a while and focus on them eating their nutritionally balanced poultry feed.
Oyster shell and egg shells should be provided separately free choice, not mixed with feed.

There's a number of things that can affect shell quality, low calcium is one of them. Hot weather (cold too), coming to the end of laying season, stress....just a few things that can cause this.

If the shell quality does not improve with your changing the diet, then give the hen that is having issues a Calcium Citrate tablet once daily for a week.

Yolk color is related to diet. Broccoli and green leafy things are going to cause darker yolks and corn is as well. Look at your feed and see if anything had been added to make yolks darker or more yellow - marigold is one thing some companies add.
A photo of your feed tag label may be helpful.

 

[Luettgenchicken]

Thank you. Ok, will try those. Hubby took off feed tag. It's Sprout layer feed. It has been very hot here.