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Author Topic: Hey You, Yeah, You With The Chickens!  (Read 12803 times)

Offline AllenF

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Re: Hey You, Yeah, You With The Chickens!
« Reply #20 on: October 17, 2010, 02:39:13 pm »
OK, I got a chicken question.   One of the hens laid an egg without the shell.   The outside hard part was missing.   The egg just had the inner membrane.  One soft egg.   Anyone ever seen this before?

Offline JP

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Re: Hey You, Yeah, You With The Chickens!
« Reply #21 on: October 17, 2010, 05:06:43 pm »
I've never seen one but I have heard countless people talk about getting them on Backyard chickens.


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Offline vmmartin

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Re: Hey You, Yeah, You With The Chickens!
« Reply #22 on: October 17, 2010, 05:10:57 pm »
After reading all the posts, it's hard to know who to believe. I have taken everything y'all have said on the bee related post as gospel. But on this posts about yard birds, I have my doubts. 8-)

Offline AllenF

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Re: Hey You, Yeah, You With The Chickens!
« Reply #23 on: October 17, 2010, 07:08:48 pm »
I knew I should have saved it.   It was in there with the rest of the eggs.   No shell.   For real.

Offline JP

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Re: Hey You, Yeah, You With The Chickens!
« Reply #24 on: October 17, 2010, 08:06:50 pm »
I believe you Allen. Like I said, I have seen this mentioned before, several times in fact on Backyard chickens.

Here's a link to just one of those discussions: http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=309787


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Offline AllenF

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Re: Hey You, Yeah, You With The Chickens!
« Reply #25 on: October 17, 2010, 08:33:41 pm »
If I run across it again, ya'll will see pics.   How long could you store that egg?   Maybe freeze it?    Has anyone ever froze an egg?

Offline AllenF

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Re: Hey You, Yeah, You With The Chickens!
« Reply #26 on: October 17, 2010, 08:35:17 pm »
And thanks for the post to backyard chicken.  Good info there.

Offline JP

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Re: Hey You, Yeah, You With The Chickens!
« Reply #27 on: October 17, 2010, 09:20:45 pm »
I haven't frozen eggs before but do a search on Backyard chickens. They have mentioned that as well.

Recently freezing eggs was discussed and Rachel Ray was mentioned as she apparently freezes eggs.

I didn't pay much attention as to me freezing eggs seems kind of odd.


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Offline Cindi

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Re: Hey You, Yeah, You With The Chickens!
« Reply #28 on: October 18, 2010, 11:25:21 am »
vmmartin -- believe it, it is indeed true.

AllenF, that is absolutely and 100% a normal thing that does happen in the chicken yard.  When the ovum leaves the ovary of the chicken this little ovum goes through many stages of development before it reaches the end of the chicken's butt and comes out as an egg.  Sometimes, as the last part of development is the encompassing of the soft egg with calcium shell, this process is not performed.  Hence, the egg that is soft and wobbly and feels most horrible to touch.  I would imagine that the egg is still OK to eat, but personally, I believe that the shell protects the insides of the eggs for a good reason, from awful things, like bacteria.  I would not eat an egg that did not  have the shell.  There are strange things done with the types of eggs that are laid with chickens and I have seen some of the weirdest shaped eggs you would ever believe, it is enough that it would make your head swim, smiling.

I am going to put a picture on here of an egg within an egg, now if this doesn't rock your socks, I don't know what will.   I have saved this egg within an egg and it is in my fridge.  I think it is worthy of some kind of thing, just not sure what kind of thing.  And it is the oddest thing I have ever encountered in my dealings with birds in the chicken yard, look closely at this picture, something to behold.  This egg was laid by one of my light Brahmas, while I was away for a couple of days.  My Daughter was looking after my chickenyard, and when she told me of this egg, I couldn't even in my wildest dreams imagine what she was talking about, until I actually laid eyes on this monstrosity of Mother Nature herself.  The outside shell was very thin, and my Daughter said when she picked it up, it was very soft and part of it opened up, strange things done in that midnight sun......

About freezing eggs.  In climates where the winter is colder and the day light shortens many people's chickens reduce the amount of laying eggs.  This is because the pituatary glands of the chicken are in the eyes, this causes a reduction in laying.  Many people, along with myself, provide additional lighting to extend the light that enters the chickens' eyes to 15 hours.  This causes an artificial increase in day length and works to provide eggs all year around, instead of just great numbers during the long daylight hour months.  It absolutely works.  Chickens perform a yearly task of moulting.  This is usually done in the fall, and takes approximately one month's time.  During that time, when their little bodies are working so hard to produce new feathers, they don't have the guts nor gumption to lay eggs, so egg laying does truly decrease somewhat when the birds are under this kind of stress.  Any kind of stressor will cause a chicken to stop laying, something even so tiny as, well, can't think of an example, but they are stressy creatures, and don't like change.  Right, rats, ramblin', I was going to talk about freezing eggs.  When the eggs are bountiful in the warm, long daylight length times, many people freeze their eggs, in anticipation of the time during the fall and/or winter when egg production reduces.  I have not personally done this, as with the extended artificial lights and raising old fashioned heritage birds (which some are known for not caring too much about doing that "stop laying thing" in the winter), I never have a lack of eggs.  But, I have heard that people freeze eggs in containers, of course, without the shell, and use them in this way.  I know it would work.  If one is a baker, it would be most wonderful to already have cracked eggs, ready for the baking use, or frozen in two egg packages for that nice two egg breakfast.  Just some thoughts here.

I have heard about people wondering if providing artificial light may stress the chicken out and make them run out of eggs within to provide eggs for the without.  Nope, not likely.  Chickens are egg laying machines and are born with thousands upon thousands of little ovas, just awaiting to be released from the ovary of the bird, so not likely that they will run out.  This is not gospel, but from my studies, this is the way it goes.  Now, the hybrid, egg laying machines that pump out huge eggs for a fairly short time of their lifetime, I cannot say.  I am speaking of the heritage, old fashioned birds that I have studied about, like Orpingtons, Plymouth Rocks (of which there are several), Rhode Island reds, Brahmas, and that heritage list goes on and on an on.  These are all proven, standby, heritage birds that have been around a long time, and are good and wonderful birds.  The new hybrids that are bred for egg production mostly are still most wonderful and beautiful in their own light, but usually production in these breeds is only good for a couple of years, maximum -- the heritage breeds can live on and on and on, for many years, and still be in decent production as those years pass on.  Ramblin', that is something I do, and I hope that I may have passed on some useful information for any ear that is willing to listen  :roll: :lol:  :lol:  8-) have that most beautiful and wonderful day, to have love and be loved, with great health.  Cindi

The most wonderful and beautiful thing of Mother Nature herself, that egg within an egg



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There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline vmmartin

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Re: Hey You, Yeah, You With The Chickens!
« Reply #29 on: October 18, 2010, 03:57:50 pm »
Cindi,
     Forgive me if I was unclear about the disbelief. I have had some experience with yard birds and was not doubting the info about eggs. It was all the halo and behavior talk between Irwin, Hardwood and JP that was hard to believe. :-D

Offline hardwood

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Re: Hey You, Yeah, You With The Chickens!
« Reply #30 on: October 18, 2010, 05:53:11 pm »
What, another doubter?...GEEZ :-D

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Offline AllenF

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Re: Hey You, Yeah, You With The Chickens!
« Reply #31 on: October 18, 2010, 06:30:06 pm »
Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"


Or better yet,
Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?

Offline vmmartin

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Re: Hey You, Yeah, You With The Chickens!
« Reply #32 on: October 18, 2010, 11:12:05 pm »
Yeah you know like when someone says "Trust me".  ;)

Offline doak

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Re: Hey You, Yeah, You With The Chickens!
« Reply #33 on: October 18, 2010, 11:16:50 pm »
Not the first Cindi, We had several way back when, a hard shell with in a hard shell.
We also had a double yolk to hatch, 2 heads, lived a day.
The soft shell is very common also.
 As for floaters, I have said this before, if at all possible isolate your setting hens.
Keep your eggs segregated, if at all possible try to use/sell or trade eggs by the time they are a week old.
The air pocket increases in size as the egg ages, which will also cause the egg to float. All else being what it should be this egg is still good. That said, all eggs that float are not bad eggs.  The (MOST) important thing, know where the egg came from. Laying nest or setting/ incubating nest. Eggs should be refrigerated no matter what who says.  
O.K. Chicken people, not going to repeat myself again. :roll: :)doak

Offline bull

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Re: Hey You, Yeah, You With The Chickens!
« Reply #34 on: October 18, 2010, 11:31:54 pm »
i see lots of double yokes in the spring with young chickens.
but that double shell is cool ,i have never seen one myself. Thanks
thanks for the link.

A friend has emu's and i carve the shells, there funny when they dont get all the layers on
before they exit. i think theres 5 diffrent colors.

the eskamo's free eggs ,something about poking a hole in the top to scramble them up before freezing.

Offline doak

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Re: Hey You, Yeah, You With The Chickens!
« Reply #35 on: October 18, 2010, 11:42:05 pm »
You can put several in a bowl and stir like you do for scramble eggs. pour in ice trays and freeze. Then transfer to a freezer container. 1 cube equals about one egg. do not refreeze. :)doak

Offline Cindi

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Re: Hey You, Yeah, You With The Chickens!
« Reply #36 on: October 19, 2010, 11:50:52 am »
vmmartin, no worries, I got it, smiling.  Those dudes are all brats!!

Doak, you always have some of the most interesting of life experiences you impart to us, and I love to hear your stuff, it is all good.  And...if you repeat or say things twice or even thrice, so be it, repetition is how we learn, and I am always keen on learning stuff, so ramble on and repeat, as many times as you want to.  It is all good, smiling that big smile.

I wish that I could have seen that double headed chick, would certainly have been a very interesting thing to see.  When my hens go broody, they are given their own little area to set in.  I have boxes that my wonderful Husband has built for me, that are nice, dark, just a nice sized opening with a hinged lid.  This is where they brood their babies.  I have a dog kennel thingy, that has hinges and is used for containing dogs for runs.  Hmmm.  That is hard to explain.  Anyways I put this around that little broody box, so the mamma can get out and eat and do her broody pooping (ichy stuff, eh).  She doesn't need very much room, her only interest is a very occasional dust bath and important stuff as nature stuff, so she is content to have this little area.  A bit of a nuisance, but that way no one goes into her nest to lay their eggs.  I always mark the broody mamma's eggs anyways, so I know for sure what is what.  I have found that a broody hen will begin to make her broody mamma sounds about 3 days before she actually begins to sit, and not heaven nor earth will get that girl off her eggs, whence she has began to set.  That gives me time to get her place readied for her.  When she begins to sit and not get off the nest, then she and the eggs are moved to the permanent broody box.  Got 4 mammas raising babies right now.  Don't know why they pick this time of year to desire to raise young, but they do.  One hatched out two of five eggs yesterday.  I didn't want a whole whack more youngsters for this winter, so only allowed her five eggs.  The three were duds.  She will take her babies out of the box probably tomorrow so I need to ready the baby food and waterers today.  Ramblin'....have that great and most wonderful day, to love and live with great health.  Cindi
There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold.  The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.  The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee.  Robert Service

Offline VolunteerK9

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Re: Hey You, Yeah, You With The Chickens!
« Reply #37 on: October 19, 2010, 11:57:01 am »
Yeah you know like when someone says "Trust me".  ;)

Yup, thats usually a good Lie Detector Test. Or in my business "It wasnt me officer" or "That bag of dope is my friends, I was just holding it for him" and finally "Two beers, honest" lmao

Offline Irwin

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Re: Hey You, Yeah, You With The Chickens!
« Reply #38 on: October 19, 2010, 06:55:41 pm »
What, another doubter?...GEEZ :-D

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