Shell-less Egg? Finding the Cause and Remedying

[janz70]

Layers pellets/mash is specifically designed to have all the nutrition a laying hens needs, by giving them other treats you are actually changing this ratio. just give them the correct feed for now, egg laying takes an awful lot out of young birds and they need the correct nutrition. also have a small bowl of grit/oyster shell available for them, they will take what they want, when they want it.
The strange eggs will eventually sort itself out, mine still throw an odd leather egg and they are a few years old.

 

[bruceha2000]

They also get a very even mixture (per scoop) of layer mash, cracked corn, and truck scrapings. Often a little less of the latter because I don't want other livestock feed to take up a larger part of their diet.

I'm sorry but you seem to be missing the point. No way corn should be 1/3 of their diet, MAYBE 10% and there is probably already corn in their mash. And the "truck scrapings"??? I have 2 alpacas and they get alpaca maintenance pellets and sweet feed. My chickens won't touch either of those. Who knows what is in the stuff scraped out of the truck, might be even more corn. I really suggest you consider going to straight layer feed with kitchen scraps and whatever they can forage for themselves in the warmer seasons.

As to the egg eating, maybe I've been lucky. As @lazy gardener said in reference to @Beekissed's experience if I find a broken egg in a nest, I toss the whole thing, including the pine shavings that are stuck to it in the run and the girls charge in. I have NEVER had a hen break and eat an egg. I don't have the years or numbers of chickens that Bee has had but 25 hens and 5 years of them laying has to count as a data point. That doesn't mean that NO hen will ever be an egg eater, just that they don't "become" an egg eater simply because they have eaten raw egg and shell.

And to the original question
I've gotten no shell eggs but never from a new layer. My Echo was laying no shell eggs when she started back up last spring. Eventually she had a horrid non recoverable prolapse in the summer. But she was 5 years old, not a new layer. Yue (also a 2012 girl) was laying very thin shelled eggs last year, none of the other hens did. Has to be a physiological problem in her body unrelated to the available food. BTW, even though some of them were broken and leaking in the nest box, they weren't eaten until they hit the run floor.

 

[lazy gardener]

I'm sorry but you seem to be missing the point. No way corn should be 1/3 of their diet, MAYBE 10% and there is probably already corn in their mash. And the "truck scrapings"??? I have 2 alpacas and they get alpaca maintenance pellets and sweet feed. My chickens won't touch either of those. Who knows what is in the stuff scraped out of the truck, might be even more corn. I really suggest you consider going to straight layer feed with kitchen scraps and whatever they can forage for themselves in the warmer seasons.

Point well made.

Bruce, I did have a new layer who laid some rubber eggs in the beginning. IIRC, she got over that, but when she passed the 2 year mark, her shell gland gave out. So, in my experience, a bird that starts out with this problem may be genetically pre-disposed to ongoing issues. I put great stock in Bee's wisdom and she has never steered me wrong in all the years I've known her.

 

[AllenK RGV]

My Sumatra hens just started laying as well in the last week. I believe I have 2/5 point of lay hens. After I observed the first egg laid I ran to TSC and got the 50 pound bag of Oyster Shell. I have yet to discover an abhorrent egg, but will be keeping an eye one them I I expect more new layers.

Today I did notice blood streaks on one of the eggs it was the hens 3rd as "Lisa" lays the peach/pink ones. I hope you get it sorted and find no reason to cull your stock as I know you love these animals from previous conversations, also I hope there are no congenital defects for the same reasons.

 

[bruceha2000]

I occasionally get a small blood streak on an egg, nothing to worry about yet, seems to have been a rare occurrence.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Thank you for that @bruceha2000 I didn't want to attempt a hijack and wasn't too worried but appreciate the reassurance. I do know OP from our sumatra thread and she loves those birds. Also @Then I Will mine are presently laying 1.25 oz(my guess definately 40-45 grams) eggs in off white and peach/pink how are your normal eggs looking?

I am just being nosey since I know we used the same breeder and was assuming we would have similar results.

I will admit my husbandry practices suck as I am entirely too generous with the scratch, but hey, the chicken made me do it! I trust them to fix my mistakes while they free range go eat something healthy!!!

 

[Then I Will]

Thank you for that @bruceha2000 I didn't want to attempt a hijack and wasn't too worried but appreciate the reassurance. I do know OP from our sumatra thread and she loves those birds. Also @Then I Will mine are presently laying 1.25 oz(my guess definately 40-45 grams) eggs in off white and peach/pink how are your normal eggs looking?

I am just being nosey since I know we used the same breeder and was assuming we would have similar results.

I will admit my husbandry practices suck as I am entirely too generous with the scratch, but hey, the chicken made me do it! I trust them to fix my mistakes while they free range go eat something healthy!!!

You're not hijacking, Allen. it's actually good to see another Sumatra Mom/Dad around again.
I can't say I'm getting any from the Sumatra yet. My Favarolles is laying the one healthy egg I get every day. The squishy present I got today is from one of the Sumatra- and while Everyone seems to be ridiculing me on my Feed routine, my Sumatra are definitely getting enough protein and have excellent green feathering. When their protein intake becomes inadequate, it will show as purple feathers.

Free feed is great when it can be administered in small amounts. And my father in law tells me when it's chicken feed and when it's other stuff, so I know exactly what to expect. I wonder if some folks ain't just jealous....

When I used to be able to free range my birds, a ration of corn was given in the afternoon when they came back to the coop. I only administer corn in the same quantity now, so I don't feel that it's actually consuming even a third of their diet.
The layer mash is more dust than quantifiable substance. I'm really not impressed with the stuff- for feeding that alone to my birds 365 of a year.

I fill their feed dispensers every three days or so and the ratio from the bags I mix differs slightly from feeding to feeding. It's a new setup for me, so I'm sure I'll figure out the best way to do it soon enough.

It's true, I've never lived in a place where so much ice covers the ground... free ranging wouldn't get us anywhere this time of year.

 

[AllenK RGV]

You're not hijacking, Allen. it's actually good to see another Sumatra Mom/Dad around again.
I can't say I'm getting any from the Sumatra yet....my Sumatra are definitely getting enough protein and have excellent green feathering. When their protein intake becomes inadequate, it will show as purple featers.

I would agree your Sumatra feathering tells you so much about their nutritional status, I fought off blue sheen for a while as they were feathering out in their first few months. I finally switched to a higher protein all flock feed and that resolved for me. Also they toss anything with less than 16% protein kinda Marie Antoinetts about it unless it is scratch. Today they loved the milo and BOSS and left the cracked corn alone which suprised me as with a cold front having passed through today I expected the CC to be in high demand. All I know is that they are smarter than I am for what they want or need and I defer to their judgment. There are plenty of folks that correct me on my feeding choices but game birds aren't your typical chicken!

 

[Then I Will]

Well! The Wonky egg has disappeared and beautiful little eggs are being left in the nest boxes now! So happy. They have good strong shells, and the Sumatra eggs are pretty light! *The two end ones are from the Salmon Favarolles hen who has been laying daily.

This is a set from the past two days. 3 yesterday, 3 today.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Well! The Wonky egg has disappeared and beautiful little eggs are being left in the nest boxes now! So happy. They have good strong shells, and the Sumatra eggs are pretty light! *The two end ones are from the Salmon Favarolles hen who has been laying daily.
View attachment 1263533

This is a set from the past two days. 3 yesterday, 3 today.

Pretty Sumatra eggs, who are you keeping for the larger brown ones? Glad your used condom looking ones have cleared up!

-------edit-----
I still haven't decided on how to define the Sumatra egg color its pale pink, pale salmon or pale peach to me. I read up a few and see you mentioned Favarolles.

---another edit---
odd we keep a same breed and looks like we keep the same kitchen counter tops too!