Author Topic: shell-less eggs again (Read 4299 times)

northfifeduckling · « **on:** January 11, 2012, 11:56:34 am »

I have found a duck's and first time ever a hen's shell-less egg. Does anyone know any other reason than what the birds eat? Age of bird? Beginning/end of season?

ellisr · « **Reply #1 on:** January 11, 2012, 12:58:05 pm »

I have noticed loads of reasons it could be from the simplest thing as turning the coup around to them having a scare.
I give a good portion of poultry spice at this time of year to the food and a sprinkle of garlic powder for good measure, I make sure that the grit and oyster shell are kept stocked up in the run and wait for the warmer weather and it to settle down a bit. My girls are all young and had a couple of softies but have also found a hen attacking others eggs.

Barrett · « **Reply #2 on:** January 11, 2012, 01:45:46 pm »

Hi Guys, I have had a couple of shell less ones over the last few days also may be that time of year or the mildness of the weather might do it to, they are such sensitive things chickens, my girls are still laying well though.
Ellisr I fear you may to get rid of your egg pecking hen come the summer and she still doing it you will have no eggs left she will become obsest with pecking all the eggs and the other hens can copy.

ellisr · « **Reply #3 on:** January 11, 2012, 02:00:04 pm »

I have a better solution than killing a good hen it is called roll away boxes, which I have and used with good success in the past. I think it is jealousy as I am pretty sure she hasn't started laying yet.

Barrett · « **Reply #4 on:** January 11, 2012, 02:06:40 pm »

I have some of those in my shed what a good idea perhaps that would work with Magpies as well I suffered terribly in the summer lost a good amount of eggs to the little B******s.

ellisr · « **Reply #5 on:** January 11, 2012, 02:08:32 pm »

of course it does just make sure the place they roll away to is covered and secured with a little lock as magpies are very clever at opening things

Barrett · « **Reply #6 on:** January 11, 2012, 02:21:11 pm »

Thanks for that will defo try that.

northfifeduckling · « **Reply #7 on:** January 11, 2012, 02:36:57 pm »

I caught 3 girls also yesterday nibbling an egg, which was possibly cracked as it was outside the house. The eggs in the nesting boxes were ok but I'll keep an eye. One before started when she was broody, eating most of her eggs but the one that had hatched. I thought it was rats until I watched her do it! One mustard filled egg did the trick that time, so I'll try that again when need be.

FiB · « **Reply #8 on:** January 11, 2012, 03:25:32 pm »

Interesting stuff - Ive been having the odd shell less (well soft/thin shelled in my case) and had been told that this was what happened when a hen was coming to the end of their laying life - And I have one lovely old hen, so that made sense to me. she seems to have stopped laying now, but I wonder if she will come into lay again in the spring?

northfifeduckling · « **Reply #9 on:** January 11, 2012, 03:53:13 pm »

someone before mentioned this - hen's menopause

last year I only had ducks laying these and 2 of the elderlies died that year. Maybe there's something to it.

Barrett · « **Reply #10 on:** January 11, 2012, 04:06:05 pm »

FiB, somebody told me that you get the shell less eggs when they first start to lay, confused.com $:-\$

northfifeduckling · « **Reply #11 on:** January 11, 2012, 04:53:37 pm »

never had one from new layers, Barrett. Only tiny but fully formed eggs with shells.

chrismahon · « **Reply #12 on:** January 11, 2012, 05:29:19 pm »

Pot eggs have stopped all our egg eaters so far. They bash their little beaks on it until they have a headache and give up.

Unshelled eggs (no shell at all) are those laid early, before the process of overlaying any of the shell. Caused by stress or sometimes immaturity as opposed to a Calcium deficiency. Ours drop shelless eggs when a fox makes a nightime visit. Can also happen with helicopters visiting JCB (stopped the low flying now after the crash) or bullying sometimes in the morning on the perch. Or fireworks. Nothing to worry about when occurring on an occasional basis.