Tough, Brittle Egg Shells

[jjudson]

Hi. First question on the group:

I have a mixed bunch of young hens. Right now, I have a Rhode Island Red and a Barred Rock hen laying. Both are producing eggs with rather tough shells with rubbery membranes. When breaking the eggs to eat, I've got to use a sharp edged bowl to break through cleanly, but even then, I'm getting a lot of small shell fragments falling into the bowl. I've tried being very careful when breaking the eggs, but this is occurring almost every time, and I'm picking out tiny shrapnel from my egg bowl.

The hens are six months old. Only the two out of eight are laying. One (the red) has been laying for about two months. The other just started about two weeks ago. The other six haven't started laying yet. I'm feeding them a layer formula feed, along with some scratch and meal worms in the morning. I'll give them greens several times a week. They have plenty of water and I do not supplement their feed with any calcium add-ons.

Any thoughts on how I can help get easier to break eggs that don't shatter?

Thanks ahead!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi. Welcome to BYC!

I would crack the eggs on a flat surface like the counter instead.

I think that is normal for young layers. I experienced it for a short time, but don't remember doing anything different.

I would avoid the scratch since your protein is already at it's very minimum with layer feed. Personally I use flock raiser until all my girls are laying and provide oyster shell on the side. I think it should be provide on the side even with layer feed. Also, if you're heading in to winter like I am, no telling if the others will even start to lay this year?

Maybe use the scratch like candy. Or on a cold night since it digests hot.

Best wishes!

 

[carlf]

Pullet eggs can be weird. Just keep doing what you are doing and they will sort it out as their system matures.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

Pullet eggs can have very hard shells.....I was 'struggling' with this yesterday.

Are you new to 'home grown' eggs?
Much different than store eggs for sure.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Yeah, I don't think there's anything wrong with the eggs. They're not brittle, they're just very hard. That's good egg shell quality.

 

[jjudson]

Are you new to 'home grown' eggs?

Not really "new" to them. I grew up on a self-sufficient farm where we had plenty of chickens and eggs. My only task though was to collect them (and harvest a chicken for dinner a few times a week). I was just a kid. Sure would like to know how Eggland's Best gets those nice, perfectly-breaking shells though!

 

[carlf]

The eggs that aren't " perfect" go to food processors! They never make it to an egg carton.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

plus the calcium/phosphorus/D3 ratio is perfect