Shell-less egg?

[Chicken_Girl75495]

We had ferocious winds today which knocked over the "coop" (more of a harem tent centered on heavy chain link panels arranged in a cube).

As soon as I knew, I went out to make sure no one was underneath (no one was--whew!).

There were a few eggs, and one with totally no shell at all, just the membrane, which had torn straight along the "waistline" an inch or so, to reveal a perfect interior and usual large orange yolk.

Without exception, our shells are so hard that I cannot break an egg with one hand. I know there are no nutritional deficiencies, they get unlimited pellets (Layena?) plus goodies such as oatmeal, little tomatoes, grapes, blueberries, raspberries, tonight they actually got polenta made with milk and apple juice. These are happy, healthy hens that lay nearly an egg a day apiece, and always with a hard shell, usually jumbo or bigger.

The corrupted cliche around here is now that the winds scared the egg out of her. Yeah, yeah, lol.

Anyone have any experiences like this?

Thanks.... I should add that we have a lot of wind here, and had another very short blast a couple of weeks ago, but this is the first time the thing has actually fallen over.

 

[The Chicken People]

Offer Oyster shell!

 

[Chicken_Girl75495]

This was one single event among innumerable eggs with heavy shells. (I tried to be clear about that in the OP.)

It isn't a dietary issue.

Thanks, though.

 

[NonnasBabies]

If your chickens are new layers you will find these kinds of eggs sometimes!! It's nothing to worry about if your feeding them layena!! I also have oyster shells in a container for them as free choice. They know when they need ot or not!!!

HTH
Missi

 

[Chicken_Girl75495]

Sorry, as I thought (maybe not!) I described in the OP, these are seasoned layers whose shells are incredibly hard and tough.

They get an excellent diet, they are free range and organic, so they are also getting bugs and ants and grass and weeds and whatever they want, plus very healthy treats. In cold weather they also got oatmeal, often with yoghurt.

Their diet is very, very good, and high in calcium. I don't have to offer anything artificial. They get "food."

Ahem.

This was a one time, single event. I have 19 laying hens, one gentle roo. I am getting about 17 or 18 eggs a day. They all have nice hard shells. I can tell they are coming from different chickens as there is a similar composition of spotted, brown, dark brown, blue, green, pinky, yellow, rarely a white one, etc., etc., etc.

This is not a dietary issue.

I am asking if anyone had this happen.

It was one egg after approximately 720 eggs this season.

It happened about the same time as their coop blew over.

OK, has anyone had this and it WASN'T a dietary issue? Has anyone had this happen around a traumatic kind of episode such as ferocious winds and the coop falling over? When the other eggs produced that day were all the typical hard shelled eggs?

Thanks.....

 

[kroberts]

I have had this happen. I was told that it sometimes happens after the girls have molted. Could that be the issue?

 

[Chicken_Girl75495]

Ah!! Thank you!

I don't know them all that well, and I have been gone for about 2 weeks, so someone might be finishing up a molt.

Thank you!!!!

Christine

 

[Chickenteacher]

sounds like a mis-fire....

 

[Chicken_Girl75495]

LOL, yeah, the big winds we had scared the egg right out of her.

 

[ChickenMama18]

I had this happen yesterday, but there was no "event" to attribute it to.