Perfect eggs then multiple no shell eggs daily

[Mrstroj]

Hello! I have an EE that started laying perfect eggs about a month ago. Her first egg was a double yolk. She laid one egg a day for five days. One day she laid an egg in the morning later in the afternoon there were 2 eggs with no shells in the pen. Wasn't worried because I know she is a new layer. This went on for two weeks. Daily egg for 5 days, two eggs no shells on day five in the afternoon, no egg the next day.

Now she is laying an egg, again PERFECTLY shelled, but only one for three days then lays two eggs no shells. This last time she laid an egg in the morning and then 4 eggs no shells in the evening. As expected, no egg today or no eggs with no shells.

Any ideas??? Why would she be "laying" 3 - 5 eggs a day? One with a shell in the morning and 4 in the evening with now shell?

 

[Chicken Review]

What are you feeding them? How old are they?

 

[Mrstroj]

They eat layer pellets and some scratch. Leftover at night but usually just some Quaker oaks and some cornflakes. That is only a little and one time a day. They are about 6 months old. Only one is laying though. The other will soon. All signs pointing to it.

 

[sumi]

Her ovaries are producing too many yolks at the same time and those yolks are getting released as they mature, resulting in eggs. To put a complete egg together takes a hen 25 hours and the formation of the egg shell alone takes 21 hours. Which explains why some of these will be shell-less. The hen simply don't have enough time/resources to put shells on all of them. The excess yolk production is most like caused by hormones and will hopefully resolve itself over time as the hen lays more.

 

[evemfoster]

Eggs with no shell is caused by not getting enough calcium in her diet.

Calcium comes in layer feed but i have had bad batches and have had to supplement. You can get crushed oyster shell, or crush (extremely finely) your old egg shells.

You can tell when a chicken is getting low on calcium by observing their stools. A chicken that is getting enough calcium will have a white coating on the stool. That is extra calcium over and above what the chicken needs. If you don't see that you know you should add supplemental calcium.

 

[sumi]

Eggs with no shell is caused by not getting enough calcium in her diet.

That is correct, but the OP's hen lays up to 4 eggs some days and there is no way her egg shell gland can keep up that pace. Occasionally it will manage two eggs a day if they enter the shell gland at a decent interval, but these eggs usually have some shell "faults".

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Her ovaries are producing too many yolks at the same time and those yolks are getting released as they mature, resulting in eggs. To put a complete egg together takes a hen 25 hours and the formation of the egg shell alone takes 21 hours. Which explains why some of these will be shell-less. The hen simply don't have enough time/resources to put shells on all of them. The excess yolk production is most like caused by hormones and will hopefully resolve itself over time as the hen lays more.

X2

Eggs with no shell is caused by not getting enough calcium in her diet.

Calcium comes in layer feed but i have had bad batches and have had to supplement. You can get crushed oyster shell, or crush (extremely finely) your old egg shells.

You can tell when a chicken is getting low on calcium by observing their stools. A chicken that is getting enough calcium will have a white coating on the stool. That is extra calcium over and above what the chicken needs. If you don't see that you know you should add supplemental calcium.

The white coating on the stool is urates, not calcium.
Birds don't urinate and the urates coat the feces as a white layer.

Calcium isn't the only issue. Vitamin D3 and phosphorus are critical as well.

This isn't a calcium issue but a reproductive tract that is kicking too many follicles into the infundibulum.

I don't know how old the bird is but she's definitely malfunctioning. I'd confine her with about 6-8 hours of light daily to try and shut her system down. Perhaps afterward, it will be properly regulated.

 

[Mrstroj]

Thank you all. My hens do have an extra pan of crushed oyster shells. I don't want to mix it in their feed due to having them accidentally eat too much calcium. I read they will eat the calcium if needed.
I think she may just be too new and she is regulating. Time will tell. Some hens are just "gifted" with double yolks being in their genes. I have had two of them from her. As stated, her eggs are perfect when shelled. My other one laid her first egg today. Not even a question who that one came from. Elongated and a little thinner shell. Her first one though so I am excited. If the other is going to lay some with no shells once a week, so be it. I was getting a little concerned when there was four layed in one evening. Thanks again for all of the support!

 

[Mrstroj]

Thank you chicken canoe. Now that you mention it, my hens were in my garage since I got them so young and the weather was too cold for mounted feathers. When they moved outside it was sunlight overload! Very happy obviously, but it was a lot of sun. I may shut her light down to 8 hours and see if it makes a difference. Who would have thought too many eggs would be a problem!

Thanks again!