Problem: Yolks Break Easily or are Broken Inside Egg

[Z_chicken]

The solution to this problem for my girl was organic food.

 

[Tigertrea]

Posting mainly to bump.

I was having a discussion with my neighbour, who buys my eggs, and we find some of our yolks break very easily while some are quite tough. I can't say it is a storage issue since I find it can happen within the same dozen, so, collected within 2 day period. I was wondering if it is an individual hen issue? I find my "paler" eggs tend to break more.(not sure which mixed breed I have lays which eggs, I have never bothered to find out lol).

For me it is not a problem. I really don't care. But, I have one chef who has stopped buying eggs from me because of this. She just wastes too many (I'd say 2-3/dozen).

I feed layer pellets, oyster shells and they free range for a few hours daily. I do have one "picked on" chicken who doesn't get out and I have to feed separate from the rest. She just gets layer feed and some oyster shell mixed in every couple of days and has access to the run while the others are ranging. (She has free access to oyster shell then, and I also toss some grit in the run every few days).

I have almost totally cut out "treats" except for about 1/2 cup of corn when I need to put them back in their run. I have been having a feather picking problem for months and tried increasing their protein, and didn't notice any changes in them or their eggs really. I'd love them to have more variety but, I also don't want them to have so many treats they don't eat enough layer and, therefore, don't get enough protein.

I am anxiously awaiting cooler weather to see if the yolks break less! I am very intrigued by the "hot weather" theory!

 

[terrybizz]

I have also had the 'broken yolk' problem for some time now with my Silkies. This has gone on for several years through hot summers, cold winters, mild spring and fall. Scratch, no scratch. Supplemental light, no light. Vitamins and electrolytes in the water, no vit or electrolytes. Oyster shells, no oyster shells.Week old or just minutes old. You get the idea. It doesn't seem to matter what I do, the yolks always break. My poor husband likes his eggs over easy and hasn't had one unless I buy eggs from the supermarket just for him.
I would just LOVE an answer to this question.
Who else can we ask?
Terry

 

[chet&rue]

Has anyone figured out the weak egg yolk membrane problem? For us it is not the heat. We feed our 20+ birds a mix of organic layer pellets with a few handfuls of scratch, sunflower seeds, & red flax seeds. We also feed them organic green scraps from a local health food store on a daly basis. We have been doing the same thing for several years, but within the last couple of months this yolk problem has started.

 

[mikemacon]

I have the same problem. My hens are free range Red Stars, Arucanas, and Rhode Island Reds. Yolks break by themselves in the skillet. Any suggestions welcome.

 

[Sagetown]

WHAT? No one has an answer. My chickens are now doing this. Some have been laying almost a year now, and others have just begun. I'm going to do a search.

 

[EggsnQuackers]

We've just recently started having this problem too. If anyone finds anything can you post it? We haven't changed our feeding program in years, but we do free range. Freshness doesn't seem to be a factor either. I really like my eggs fried with a runny yolk and I haven't had one in quite a while now. I've had customer complaints as well.

 

[Sagetown]

All my searching points to aging of eggs. Even in official documents.
A fresh egg will have a round yolk inside a thick egg white, encircled a thinner egg white.
An egg which has had time for air to enter the shell will have a flat yolk, and watery egg whites. The yolks walls will be so thin that it will break easily.
I brought in two eggs right off the nests, broke them in separate bowls, and let them sit all day. No breakage. Maybe we're overlooking the older eggs in the fridge. I don't know.

 

[Scatterknit]

Reviving this thread because I would love an answer. Does anyone know why this happens? I collect eggs every day - usually a couple of times a day, and once in awhile when I break one, it comes out runny.

 

[Sagetown]

Reviving this thread because I would love an answer. Does anyone know why this happens? I collect eggs every day - usually a couple of times a day, and once in awhile when I break one, it comes out runny.

I know it is caused from thin yolk walls, but I suspect the reason for the thin wall could be one or several factors involved, including the health of the hen.