SHELL-LESS EGGS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5665, 12 August 1905, Page 16

SHELL-LESS EGGS.

Poultry-keepers are often troubled by their fowls laying soft eggs. There arc several causes. It is generally lor want of shell-forming material, but this is not so in ail cases. Sometimes when hens have been laying a large number of eggs, they make eggs faster than Nature can shell them. Wo have known fowls lay one perfect and one shell-less egg in twelve boons. This is not an exception, but often occurs when good layers are kept. At one time ue thought it was impossible for a fowl to lay two perfect eggs in twenty-four hours, or rather to shell them in that time; but we have proved it is no;, having had them do it, and pullets under eight mouths old. Fowls arc not always out of oixhr when they lay shell-less eggs, as many think they are, that is, if they are supplied with everything necessary to form the shell and keep the egg-organs in a heal; by slate. A fowl often lays doubleyolked eggs; this weakens the organs, and often causes soft eggs to be laid afterwards.

Whoa fowls are over-led and become very fat: Internally, they frequently produce soft eggs; also when they have been laying a long tune without a rest their egg organs naturally got weak, especially if they lay largo eggs. Their oviduct, or is wonderfully constructed. It: is attached to l.be ovary where the eggs form first. They ■ hang much the same as a bunch of j grapes and can be soon by a microscope > when not. larger than the point of-a; pin. 'lhey are so constructed that the ; largest ones arc at the bottom of the ; ovary, or rat Inn', they are encased in ai skin, and as they grow they lower them- I solves into the top of the oviduct. I After the egg is severed from the i ovary it has to pass through the ovi- t duct or egg-passage, which is from Ti to 39in long. Wo have found it 75n longer in some fowls than in others. Tl is while the egg is passing throng)] this pipo or passage that it is shelled. The egg-passage does not lie in one lino, but is constructed much the sumo as Iho entrails of a fowl and rather more of an Sor pothook shape. If an egg is examined in a fowl before if. loaves the ovary there will bo found some small blood veins upon it, those leave the egg before it passes into the oviduct. Should u hen be startled or very much frightened or over-reach herself the little blood-vessels become ruptured. This is the cause of small dark spots being found in a now laid egg; they are usually found in the large end of the egg. not in the yolk but at the top of between the yolk and the white. Sometimes it is caused by the male bird being too heavy. When these spots are found in a boiled egg people think they are not new laid, and that they may have been sat on. In some cases they are as largo as a pea. After a hen has been frightened, it frequently happens that a shell-less egg i breaks in the egg passage. When this is the case the fowl may be seen standing very erect, with her tail down and her bond up. The feathers are usually wet behind,while the other part of her plumage looks very rough. If not attended to fowls often die when this occurs.

They are usually found dead on the nest, and the cause of death is frequently put down as egg-bound when it is really the skin of the soft egg left in the egg passage; this irritates the

fowl and cause.-; her to strain, as she cannot pa.** it .This causes a rupture of the egg organs, and often of the body too, and N ufit-n ilm cause of the laying hen being so lor .10 a-'d down behind. When any of th.-.-o -vsnmcms appear iho Inal sh* i ■: i d be cau*7h' and examined. The ddn oi rue e can usually bo

found jus; iiu* egg pa -sago; <xy cadomdly it is nl-'-uh- protruding; if so it can be eriMlv v, n ’'dunvTi by gently pulling it down when ibe ben endeavours to pass n : n ihik be done very sleadilv, if not, it will break in* side.

"When it is broken inside it ran be withdrawn by tweezers: a small piece of linen rag should bo tied on the end oi the ivvewts and a little oil put on the rag. When this is done it is not so likely to break the skin or hurt the fowl; if this precaution is not taken, inflammation follows.

This is partly caused by the ham straining herself. She should have a loaspoonful of salad oil and a little warm water given her: also a little soft food (not much), *0 that she does not lay any more eggs until the oviduct is stroig again. If so it causes irritJVtion ami the fowl becomes very ill.

Ground oyster shells are list'd for laying hors, as they supply the material for making the shell. Flint dust is also a fine thing for the laying hens, as this prevents their laying shell-loss eggp when everything else fails, and osikkcoally in the breeding season, as it makes the shell of eggs brittle, which is of great asdst n.noo to the young birda when hateliing.