Weird eggs

[8937]

I have four light sussex hens and they are gorgeous. However, one of them is not laying right. I often find rubbery eggs with no shell and today I found a yolk in a rubbery sac and an egg white in a rubbery sac. The yolk sac was considerably bigger than the one with egg white alone and they were found next to each other on a gravel path. I have no idea what is wrong and wondered if anyone has any experience of this please. All the hens are well though one has a wet mucky bottom.

 

[Cazook]

calcium deficiency probably. what do you feed them? hens need a feed containing added calcium (layer pellet or crumble) or additional calcium (crushed egg shells or oyster shell) if you are feeding them all-flock/grower pellets.

 

[8937]

calcium deficiency probably. what do you feed them? hens need a feed containing added calcium (layer pellet or crumble) or additional calcium (crushed egg shells or oyster shell) if you are feeding them all-flock/grower pellets.

Hello. They have organic layers pellets and a little mixed corn in the afternoon, They free-range over about a third of an acre of grass. I put a bowl of oyster shell in for them too but they don’t seem to touch it. They don't seem to eat much of the pellets either preferring to just get out on the grass and around the bushes where they scratch around all day.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hello. They have organic layers pellets and a little mixed corn in the afternoon, They free-range over about a third of an acre of grass. I put a bowl of oyster shell in for them too but they don’t seem to touch it. They don't seem to eat much of the pellets either preferring to just get out on the grass and around the bushes where they scratch around all day.

Hi there, welcome to BYC!

Sometimes that can be a new layer hiccup. What is the age of your ladies? Where are you finding these shell less eggs?

It is unlikely a calcium issue as far as intake goes according to your description of feed stuffs. Go easy on the afternoon corn as it's low nutrient high energy treat and can diminish protein and amino acids too far if given in excess.

Sounds more like the system is trying to work itself out. If the gal has been laying for a while and it continues and she is not a new layer then she may have a defective shell gland or other reproductive defect going on.

Pay attention to that gal for any signs of egg binding. Although most softees will be expelled in the same manner as poo... sometimes a shell-less egg will not give enough resistance to be able to pushed through... getting stuck inside. Sometimes egg binding can be cause by too large of eggs also, but softees should be watched. When folks give bound hens a quick calcium supplement like tums it is to support the muscle contractions and not to strengthen the shell... though it has been used for some defective hens to strengthen shells long term.

Warm Epsom salt baths also absorb magnesium through the skin to support muscles and relax the hen.. when binding is an issue.

Please note.. Sussex, being dual purpose hens and not light bodies layers will do *best* on at least 18% protein. If you have a grower, all flock, or other options.. consider using it with a calcium source on the side free choice. The higher amino acid levels really seem to make a difference... Here in the US most layer feed has 16% protein which is the bare minimum to keep a light bodied bird in good condition. Since making the switch (to flock raiser with 20% protein) my birds enter molt less harshly and return to lay sooner... It's great that you're able to free range.. that helps balance things out.

 

[RoosterML]

System hiccup, unlikely your feed. I just had the same thing about a week ago. Not much you can do.

 

[8937]

Hi there, welcome to BYC!

Sometimes that can be a new layer hiccup. What is the age of your ladies? Where are you finding these shell less eggs?

It is unlikely a calcium issue as far as intake goes according to your description of feed stuffs. Go easy on the afternoon corn as it's low nutrient high energy treat and can diminish protein and amino acids too far if given in excess.

Sounds more like the system is trying to work itself out. If the gal has been laying for a while and it continues and she is not a new layer then she may have a defective shell gland or other reproductive defect going on.

Pay attention to that gal for any signs of egg binding. Although most softees will be expelled in the same manner as poo... sometimes a shell-less egg will not give enough resistance to be able to pushed through... getting stuck inside. Sometimes egg binding can be cause by too large of eggs also, but softees should be watched. When folks give bound hens a quick calcium supplement like tums it is to support the muscle contractions and not to strengthen the shell... though it has been used for some defective hens to strengthen shells long term.

Warm Epsom salt baths also absorb magnesium through the skin to support muscles and relax the hen.. when binding is an issue.

Please note.. Sussex, being dual purpose hens and not light bodies layers will do *best* on at least 18% protein. If you have a grower, all flock, or other options.. consider using it with a calcium source on the side free choice. The higher amino acid levels really seem to make a difference... Here in the US most layer feed has 16% protein which is the bare minimum to keep a light bodied bird in good condition. Since making the switch (to flock raiser with 20% protein) my birds enter molt less harshly and return to lay sooner... It's great that you're able to free range.. that helps balance things out.

Hello, thanks for all the information. I will assimilate it and definitely do the epsom salts bath. The hen is about a year old. I got four of them as growers so they are more or less the same age. One of them has grown into a giant of a hen and she lays a big egg. Unfortunately they are usually all cracked. Perhaps she crushes them a little under her weight.

 

[8937]

System hiccup, unlikely your feed. I just had the same thing about a week ago. Not much you can do.

View attachment 2110862View attachment 2110863

No I don’t think there is much I can do. I will clean her up though. Thanks for your reply.

 

[8937]

This hen seems to have very bad diarrhoea and an extremely mucky bottom. She passes lots of water? This morning the water was a reddish orange colour so I think she must be bleeding too. ? sore vent. Otherwise she is eating all right, is vocal and free-ranging with the other three, though at a slower rate. She seems to get better for a few days and then relapses. Has anyone any idea what this is please? I really want to clear it up for her.

 

[RoosterML]

This hen seems to have very bad diarrhoea and an extremely mucky bottom. She passes lots of water? This morning the water was a reddish orange colour so I think she must be bleeding too. ? sore vent. Otherwise she is eating all right, is vocal and free-ranging with the other three, though at a slower rate. She seems to get better for a few days and then relapses. Has anyone any idea what this is please? I really want to clear it up for her.

Have you changed anything at all?

 

[8937]

Have you changed anything at all?

Only wormed them with flubanvet pellets recently.