Bumpy Eggs

[Mtnboomer]

Hello,
My 6 Brahma hens are laying on avg 4 eggs a day (which is great for them) but at least 1 out of 4 will have extra calcium deposits on the exterior of the shell to varying degrees. I know the eggs are edible and OK, and I was told that the deposits come from the hen "holding on to it" a little long, but is there anything that can be done to prevent this behavior? The main issue is that eggs with the deposits on the outside have "grit" or tiny balls of calcium on inside too. Its not much, but its enough when you bite down on it (feels like chewing sand).

 

[Anime2lover]

To much calcium can be one cause, but there are other causes to

 

[Mtnboomer]

The only feed they get is free choice layer pellets. I have a 5lb feeder that takes them about a week to empty. The rest of their diet is what they find in the yard, woods, and fields.

Is their a percentage of calcium that is most ideal in the feed?

 

[Anime2lover]

The only feed they get is free choice layer pellets. I have a 5lb feeder that takes them about a week to empty. The rest of their diet is what they find in the yard, woods, and fields.

Is their a percentage of calcium that is most ideal in the feed?

That I could not tell you. I just know that health issues and to much calcium can cause it.

 

[aart]

The only feed they get is free choice layer pellets. I have a 5lb feeder that takes them about a week to empty. The rest of their diet is what they find in the yard, woods, and fields.

Is their a percentage of calcium that is most ideal in the feed?

Hmmm...that should not cause such large deposits. Most layer feed is 3-5% calcium...some birds need more than that. Hard to know why they are having this issue.
Might try an all flock feed type with ~1% calcium and offer oyster shells on the side.

 

[Mtnboomer]

UPDATE: Unfortunately, I found one of our hens dead in the coop last week. My wife is a veterinary pathologist so she performed a necropsy on the bird and determined cause of death to be chronic heart failure. Since her passing, the "bumpy eggs" have stopped showing up.
My assumption is that her health condition is what was causing the deposits.