Shell-less eggs

[labradors]

I caught one of my chickens eating an egg one day, then it occurred to me that there were no shell fragments to be seen. The next two days, I found a pile of egg white on the board. Today it looked as if someone had cracked a whole egg on the board - never a shell to be seen.

I really hope that it's just the time of year and the fact that, maybe, they are coming into molt. The hens are red Sexlinks who are around 18 months of age. I noticed Jessica is hanging out in one of the nesting boxes, even though everyone has laid an egg (counting the eggy mess on the board).

[Killerbunny]

It likely is moult and time of year.

[Jaye]

Do you have free-choice oyster shell or crushed egg shells available for them to eat as required? Is it possible that they need extra calcium? I crush up their eggshells and keep a dish filled for them in their run. Also, this time of year when they are molting, I try to give them extra protein treats to help them feather in better and faster.

[labradors]

Thanks ladies. I have been feeding sunflower seeds as an "extra" but I haven't given them any extra calcium as it's supposed to be included in their layer feed, but I can certainly save eggshells to give them.

[Ontario Chick]

The egg shells have to be "sterilized" i.e. baked in the oven and broken up enough not to resemble eggs, coz you know what would happen
I find oyster shells fed in separate feeder, (I use old rabbit feeders nailed to the wall, since they self regulate calcium intake, is a good indication that the feed doesn't contain enough, by the amount they use up on regular bases.
May have to do something with the fact that some of the Free range goodies require calcium to brake it down.

[Jaye]

Yes, what @Ontario Chick said, re: egg shells ... sorry, forgot to mention that I microwave them for a few minutes, then crush them down to a fine crumble in my mortar and pestle. I don't trust that the calcium included in layer feed always has enough calcium for my hens' needs either, especially as they get older and their bodies become less efficient at obtaining the vitamins and minerals they need from their food. I offer my hens eggshells in addition to oyster shells because many of my hens won't touch the oyster shell.

[labradors]

Thanks! Interesting that Jaye's chickens don't like oyster shell.

I used to grind eggshells (for one of my dogs) in my Bullet, but it broke somehow.... Guess I'll have to drag out the mortar and pestle.

[labradors]

I saved enough eggshells to crumble up and presented a small bowl of them to the chickens yesterday. They went wild for them, really digging in!!!!! Perhaps it's because they don't think much of their horrible (new) food from TSC which smells rancid and is all powder .

[KimChick]

Thanks for the molt reminder.
So far today, I have 1 egg from varying ages of 18 hens, with one hen in a nesting box.
Re: calcium - my hens do not favour the oyster shells, nor do they like the calcium in their feed. When on hand, I mix it with crushed egg shells (baked, then crushed in a clean milk bag with a rolling pin) and sometimes sesame seeds. I also use a rabbit feeder. Today, with their scratch, I mixed in some meal worms and calci worms. Plus, there was a soft shell egg today - shell left, egg eaten. Grrr.
Then, there is - DH built some new nesting boxes in their barn winter enclosure, so that may also be affecting their laying, because they have access to them.
And, perhaps with the change in weather - cold & windy - added to the above, laying is way down.