Wrinkled eggs

[Rowanm77]

I looked through the past posts and didn't see anything on this topic. For about a month or so my very reliable chickens have been laying wrinkled eggs. Well, the shell is wrinkled. One even had a big blob of shell coming off the end of one egg that got folded! Of 3 eggs every day, one seemed to be much worse that the other 2. I am guessing this is some kind of a mineral/calcium imbalance? More recently, they have been laying very thin shelled eggs instead of the nice thick ones. I had them on Turkey and Game maintenence feed that the Feed Store recommended because I have everyone (chickens, pigeons, ducks, and a turkey) in together (I know I am bad but they all get along fine). I just switched over to Egg Layer feed to give it a try instead. Any ideas?

 

[rosyposyosy]

im not the best at food but i'd say you need some grit or something oyster shells, anything like little rocks -- but dont trust me im not that good at this merely just a suggestion

 

[bigzio]

Yep, good idea to switch to layer feed. Calcium is a must for the hens. Oyster shell fed in a seperate feeder is the way to go, allowing the hens that need more calcium to eat it when they want.

Saving your egg shells from the kitchen and rinsing,drying,crushing into small pieces and feeding back to your hens is a excellent way to provide cacium also, seeing they are almost 100% cacium...none ever go to waste at our house and the hens prefer them over oyster shells. Just add them to the oyster shell feeder.

bigzio

 

[aran]

bigzio could i just crush them with the rolling pin and add them to their usual feed? or does it have to go with oyster shell?

 

[CarriBrown]

Quote:
You could do that, but the hens will free feed on the oyster shells/egg shells and get the amount they need. You'd probably waste less if you don't put it in with their food... I don't know about yours, but mine will pick out everything they don't want and it ends up on the ground.

 

[Lunachick]

Mine don't seem to eat the oyster shell, I have it out for them but they go for the compost pile that has eggshell bits in it and they munch on that. They're eggs are lovely.

 

[SandraChick]

Rowan-

It does sound like a calcium deficiency...and in advanced stages.

Giving them turkey and game maintenance is ok if they have another source of calcium....oyster shell free choice should be given even if you switch to layer feed. They will take what they need and leave it be otherwise.

Phosphorus is important to assimilate calcium--getting a good vitamin supplement- at least temporarily would be a good thing.

Feeding eggshells back to them is great, but you need to realize they need several eggs' shells to MAKE one eggshell, so that alone is not enough

Mine don't seem to eat the oyster shell, I have it out for them but they go for the compost pile that has eggshell bits in it and they munch on that. They're eggs are lovely.

They're getting their calcium from natural sources including bugs, worms, etc.... A natural diet of course is always beneficial.

My chickens free range and their oyster shell consumption is directly related to the seasons and weather. When there are lots of bugs around...they don't eat oystershell. When it's cold and rainy and the bug population drops, they eat a bunch. so having it out all the time, let's them use it as they need it.

GOOD luck
Sandra​

 

[wendy]

ours have always been on layin pellets that is what the guy that sold them to us used and our hens were about 5 months old when we bought them. but i do use the crushed eggshells and we have the one black star sex link that lays some really big eggs and her eggshells are over 3 inches long and have bumps on them sometimes or wrinkles. i don't worry about it. i figure because the egg is so long is why on her that it happens.

 

[Rowanm77]

Thanks for all the input! I lost one of my hens, a year old white bird that I think was the one laying the strange eggs. The others are laying much better eggs now that I've switched to the egg layer pellets. No more bumps or wrinkles. I also got a bag each of calcium chips and grits and they were all over both when I put them in! Guess that was the problem. They weren't getting enough out in my lawn. I feel bad for my one hen that died, I suspect it was my lack of knowledge and she got egg-bound or something. At least now everyone is fine!

 

[Rowanm77]

Here's a really bad photo of the egg. I kept it and blew out the contents and dried it.