Weak yolks?

[LukeDuke22]

Seems like my yolks in my eggs break really easy anymore, is there anything I can feed them to help this out?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/bookstore/pubs/EP127.pdf

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publi...-handbook/5/internal-and-external-egg-quality

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps020

From what I have been reading this would be a result of a weak vitelline membrane, which can be an "indirect effect of poor eggshell quality" or the age of the hens, or improper storage temp.

So, the egg yolks will start going flat and break easily if that membrane is weakened, I am inferring from what I read.

My recommendation is to make sure they have plenty of oystershell around- sorry I don't know how to advise really. I hope this helps.

Also make sure they aren't being stressed by mites/lice, or worms.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I occasionally get an egg like that from my flock- I forgot to mention.

 

[LukeDuke22]

Thanks I'll try that , I have been just feeding them their own egg shells back and it seems like it makes for a strong outer shell, but just a weak yolk, I'll give the oyster shell a shot and post back with the results incase anyone else is running into the same problem

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Thanks I'll try that , I have been just feeding them their own egg shells back and it seems like it makes for a strong outer shell, but just a weak yolk, I'll give the oyster shell a shot and post back with the results incase anyone else is running into the same problem

Awhile back someone wrote on BYC that there was a study showing that the oyster shell flakes were more effective at making stronger eggshells than calcium powder- the size of the calcium matters.

I don't know about eggshells- should work and all- lots of people do it- but if you are having issues it is a cheap thing to try.

I think but am not sure that they mean by "indirect effect of eggshell quality" that the eggshell is more permeable than it is supposed to be. I don't think it directly affects the membrane but I could be wrong. In other words, an eggshell that doesn't protect the way it is supposed to, will make the eggs go "stale" faster. Stale eggs have the flat yolks and the weaker membrane.

Hopefully this helps- more guessing here but maybe it will help you out anyway.

 

[LukeDuke22]

Yeah so I have very strong exterior shell and even the membrane that is close to the exterior shell just not the yolk membrane, or possibly I'm just a really bad egg cracker, but possibly the egg shells lose Calcium after they have been ate time after time. I don't know but will definelty be interesting if the oyster shell solves it

 

[ranjean]

I hope you are still active here since this is an old post. By any chance are your hens Wyandotts? My daughters (chicken) eggs have the exact same problem you state. Strong shells, very tough membrane just inside the shell, making them hard to crack, and then weak yolk membrane.

If I manage to crack two eggs without breaking the yolk, they sometimes break when I gently drop them in the pan, flip them gently, or they stick to the buttered teflon and tear when I try to slide them out.

Pretty frustrating to go buy eggs at the store and they perform perfectly. I want our home grown eggs to outperform the store eggs!

She recently increased protein. No help. It's not temperature, because this problem stays the same all summer and winter here in Wisconsin. (Hens reduce production in winter, but keep laying.)

These hens have the rooster with them all the time. Could fertilized eggs behave differently?

If not, then I guess we have stress on the hens somehow.

 

[Sally PB]

I hope you are still active here since this is an old post.

That poster hasn't been on since 2015. Hover your cursor over their name, and you will see a "last seen" date.

 

[Mrs. K]

Even though this is an old post, it is relevant that not all eggs are high quality eggs. As the age of the hen increases, the size of the egg increase, but sometimes the quality of the egg decreases. This is mostly genetic. Really no food is going to change it.

I like thick whites, where the yolk stays in the whites and when you gently braze them, they almost turn a pink color. However, there is nothing wrong with less quality egg, I just use them for baking or scrambled eggs.

You want high quality eggs, keep a young flock and don't keep a poor egg quality chicken - or at least don't hatch their eggs.

Mrs K