Eggs without shells???? Help please
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- margo - newbie
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Eggs without shells???? Help please
Hello
I acquired some chickens before christmas, everything has been great, they have been laying with no problem. (well 2 out of 3 birds.) However, this morning i found an egg that had no shell to it. It was like a soft rubber in texture and smaller than the normanl size eggs they produce. Is this normal??? Have i done something wrong?? Please help.
Thanks
I acquired some chickens before christmas, everything has been great, they have been laying with no problem. (well 2 out of 3 birds.) However, this morning i found an egg that had no shell to it. It was like a soft rubber in texture and smaller than the normanl size eggs they produce. Is this normal??? Have i done something wrong?? Please help.
Thanks
- contadina
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Re: Eggs without shells???? Help please
It quite often occurs at the beginning of their monthly egg laying cycle so shouldn't be anything to worry about. You might also see some tiny yolk-less eggs. If it it becomes the norm then you'll have to add some dried and ground eggshells or sea-shells to their feed.
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- margo - newbie
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Re: Eggs without shells???? Help please
Thank you for your advice, hopefully panic over!!
Thanks
Thanks
Re: Eggs without shells???? Help please
look on http://www.thepoultrysite.com
good advice there from other chicken keepers.
i have 11 chickens and 1 rooster but havn`t had this problem yet,you may need to give oyster grit.my friend had a couple of hens that laid rubber eggs,she gave the grit and it worked for her.
good advice there from other chicken keepers.
i have 11 chickens and 1 rooster but havn`t had this problem yet,you may need to give oyster grit.my friend had a couple of hens that laid rubber eggs,she gave the grit and it worked for her.
Last edited by shell on Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- Millymollymandy
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Re: Eggs without shells???? Help please
I have a duck laying them with blood and she was eggbound the other night with a prolapsed bum (for want of a more technical word for bum). We were so worried we would find her either dead or needing to be put down the next morning but she was right as rain!
She laid another one like that this morning. She ain't right as she's always got a dirty bum but I am now giving the ducks calcium by giving them a handful of oyster shell with their feed plus a vitamin tonic.
She laid another one like that this morning. She ain't right as she's always got a dirty bum but I am now giving the ducks calcium by giving them a handful of oyster shell with their feed plus a vitamin tonic.
http://chateaumoorhen.blogspot.com/boboff wrote:Oh and just for MMM, (thanks)
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- margo - newbie
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Re: Eggs without shells???? Help please
Thanks to all for the advice. Will get some grit.
Cheers
Cheers
- Millymollymandy
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Re: Eggs without shells???? Help please
No, not grit, crushed oyster shell. There is a difference and both serve different purposes - they need grit to help crush/digest their food as they don't have teeth and the grit helps this happen in their crops.
The oystershell is a form of calcium which is important in their diets as not only does it help form eggshells but also is needed for the muscular passing of an egg.
The oystershell is a form of calcium which is important in their diets as not only does it help form eggshells but also is needed for the muscular passing of an egg.
http://chateaumoorhen.blogspot.com/boboff wrote:Oh and just for MMM, (thanks)
- contadina
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Re: Eggs without shells???? Help please
As you said one of your hens wasn't yet laying it's most likely her. The first few eggs are quite often hit and miss. Keep an eye on the chucks, but unless any look in distress I wouldn't panic.
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- margo - newbie
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Re: Eggs without shells???? Help please
Thanks again, and i will get oyster shell.
Cheers
Cheers
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Re: Eggs without shells???? Help please
do you put it in wirh the layers pellets or in a seperate dish plsMillymollymandy wrote:No, not grit, crushed oyster shell. There is a difference and both serve different purposes - they need grit to help crush/digest their food as they don't have teeth and the grit helps this happen in their crops.
The oystershell is a form of calcium which is important in their diets as not only does it help form eggshells but also is needed for the muscular passing of an egg.
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Re: Eggs without shells???? Help please
contadina is probably right, if you have 2 out of 3 laying, then this shell-less egg may be the first from your third bird, and she may a lay a couple more till she gets the hang of it.
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- red
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Re: Eggs without shells???? Help please
i put it in a separate dish - i have one wired to the fence with drainage holes.. i just top it up when I notice it emptygunners71uk wrote:do you put it in wirh the layers pellets or in a seperate dish plsMillymollymandy wrote:No, not grit, crushed oyster shell. There is a difference and both serve different purposes - they need grit to help crush/digest their food as they don't have teeth and the grit helps this happen in their crops.
The oystershell is a form of calcium which is important in their diets as not only does it help form eggshells but also is needed for the muscular passing of an egg.
Red
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- JulieSherris
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Re: Eggs without shells???? Help please
You can also use the egg shells as well - it's just recycling the calcium that's all
Wash the egg shells & pop them on a baking tray - bake them for a few minutes in a hot oven & then crush them finely - works just as well as the crushed oyster shell
Wash the egg shells & pop them on a baking tray - bake them for a few minutes in a hot oven & then crush them finely - works just as well as the crushed oyster shell
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- red
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Re: Eggs without shells???? Help please
as i understand it, the calcium in egg shells is not digestible by hens. They will eat the egg shells, but it only provides them with grit for their crops, not calcium. They need to get calcium in a soluble form.. there should be enough of it in layers pellets.JulieSherris wrote:You can also use the egg shells as well - it's just recycling the calcium that's all
Wash the egg shells & pop them on a baking tray - bake them for a few minutes in a hot oven & then crush them finely - works just as well as the crushed oyster shell
Red
I like like minded people... a bit like minded anyway.. well people with bits of their minds that are like the bits of my mind that I like...
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I like like minded people... a bit like minded anyway.. well people with bits of their minds that are like the bits of my mind that I like...
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- JulieSherris
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Re: Eggs without shells???? Help please
Ah.... maybe the shells need to be crushed to a fine powder before the calcium can be absorbed, Red?
I got the info from: http://www.makeitandmendit.com/2009/07/ ... eggshells/
I now have a bag on the back door for the collection of used egg shells - hubby really thinks I've lost it now!!
I got the info from: http://www.makeitandmendit.com/2009/07/ ... eggshells/
I now have a bag on the back door for the collection of used egg shells - hubby really thinks I've lost it now!!
The more people I meet, the more I like my garden