As a poultry farm owner, you know the importance of keeping your eggs in pristine condition. Healthy hens produce healthier eggs and stronger flocks that thrive year-round.

 But with outside environmental factors like extreme temperatures, disease, pests, and predators threatening your precious investment, it can be exhausting trying to keep up with all of the protective strategies needed to give each egg its best chance at hatching into one healthy chick after another. Fear not!

 In this blog post, we'll outline a variety of proactive measures you can take on your farm to ensure that all of your poultry eggs are giving their strongest performance for months to come. Read on for helpful tips and tricks that will have your flock's health soaring!

Significance of eggshell formation

As part of their natural growth cycle, laying hens begin to lay eggs around week 20 as the reproductive system reaches its peak maturity. Hormones activate several physiological and metabolic processes that culminate in egg formation - with shell membrane production taking place within the uterus or 'eggshell gland' where minerals are combined for hardening into a protective layer.

 It takes an impressive 20 hours for eggshells to form, during which they slowly become encased in a calcium carbonate structure. This process occurs within the uterus and is one of the most laborious stages of egg development!

Unveiling the Intestinal Role in Eggshell Formation

As a key component of eggshell formation, calcium homeostasis plays an essential role. This mineral is responsible for the production of calcium carbonate which contributes to this fascinating process.

 For that reason, poultry must rely on external sources to fulfill their needs and ensure strong shells are formed with each new egg laid!

 Shell formation requires calcium, and this mineral can come from a surprising source- the bones of birds! While hormones such as parathyroid hormone ensure a sufficient supply for shell construction, reliance on this volatile resource could ultimately weaken birds' skeletons.

Poultry production relies on multiple sources of calcium to ensure adequate eggshell formation. During the laying period, supplemented intake is recommended while also maintaining proper digestive system functioning and renal elimination processes for this mineral.

 Intestinal well-being has a direct correlation with absorbing dietary calcium levels efficiently; further regulated by kidneys as part of homeostasis maintenance in poultry birds.

What factors impact egg quality

To understand the complexities of eggshell disorders, it is necessary to consider not only direct causes such as disease but also a range of other external factors.

a. old hens

As hens mature, they produce eggs with shells that may not be as strong due to decreased mineralization efficiency. The size of these larger eggs can put them at a higher risk of having fragile shells.

b. Animal welfare

High levels of stress can disrupt the complex metabolic processes that regulate egg formation and laying in poultry, leading to a range of animal welfare issues such as fragile eggs, predisposition to breakage, retention problems, or dirt/blood-stained shells.

c. Pubescent poultry

In this age group, the production of eggs can be especially delicate due to an incomplete eggshell mineralization process.

d. Poultry feed

Poultry nutrition is essential for creating strong, healthy eggs with hard shells. To ensure egg formation meets these standards and exceeds expectations, poultry should be given a diet packed full of amino acids and minerals - supplying their specific requirements to help them thrive.

Diseases that affect poultry eggshells

Eggshell disorders can be caused by infections that cause a variety of symptoms. These diseases may not just affect particular organs, they could also disrupt the egg-laying process leading to the formation of abnormal eggs.

a. Mycoplasmosis is a respiratory and digestive bacterial condition caused by the Mycobacterium gallisepticum. Its effects can be seen in poultry, manifested in eggshell fragility leading to weak or broken eggs - an unfortunate outcome for farrowing chickens.

 b. Avian coronavirus is a highly contagious disease inflicting birds, causing severe and acute symptoms along with the commonly associated weak, wrinkled eggshells. Those affected by this virus often face extremely malformed eggs due to their potency.

 c. Newcastle disease is a dreaded viral illness that affects poultry, weakening and cracking their eggs with thin-shelled shells. This can cause serious harm to the egg production industry if it's left unchecked.

 d. Egg drop syndrome is a poultry pathology caused by an adenovirus. This virus can seriously disrupt egg-laying, causing birds to produce eggs with soft shells that may easily break.

 e. Animals suffering from laryngotracheitis typically experience serious respiratory complications and commonly lay eggs that are weak, cracked, or misshapen. This highly contagious virus can lead to significant morbidity in affected populations.

Common eggshell disorder

a. Eggs without shell

Eggshell defects, a type of disorder typified by an absent shell and only protected with the outer membrane can have multiple origins. Although often attributed to calcium deficits or mycotoxins in food sources, these disorders may also stem from stress-induced conditions.

b. Broken eggs

The eggs of a certain type can be the result of extreme conditions, from high temperatures to nutritional deficiencies and fungal infections, all brought on by relentless stress.

c. lumpy eggs

Poor management of the lighting or overcrowding stress in poultry houses can cause chicken eggs to be repaired by their reproductive system, resulting in lumps on its eggshell. The process involves re-depositing calcium which acts as a cover for any ruptures during formation.

d. non-uniform eggs

Eggs can exist in a variety of shapes, normally due to the egg's developmental environment or underlying illness. In some cases their characteristics may be vastly different from each other, ranging from minor size variations to extreme asymmetry.

e. Colored shells

The shell of poultry can lose its pigmentation due to various reasons, such as inadequate nutrition, infestation by parasites, and exposure to drugs like Nicarbazin or tetracyclines. Additionally, age could also be the underlying cause for de-pigmented shells in birds.

f. Furrowed eggs

Thin-shelled eggs are the result of double ovulation and can often be traced back to oversized egg sizes, viral infections, antibiotic use, or too much calcium. This process creates wrinkles in the shell making them easily identifiable from a normal egg.

Tips to combat eggshell disorders

When it comes to preventing eggshell damage and improving the welfare of poultry, there are multiple viable solutions. From dietary alterations to environmental enrichments, these options ensure eggs with superior quality while keeping birds' well-being in mind.

a. Alquerfeed Ovoponedoras is an enriched supplement that can help improve eggshell quality in layers, even under extreme heat stress or calcium absorption deficiencies. This product helps prevent bone demineralization and provides essential minerals and vitamins to maintain strong laying hens.

 b. Alquernat Nebsui is a powerful intestinal conditioner that can help to lay hens increase nutrient absorption and optimize egg production. Meanwhile, Aquent Zycox boosts the local immunity of poultry to fight against coccidiosis while avoiding harm to mucosal tissue - an effective substitute for Nicarbazin. Deciding which product best meets your needs will ensure optimal health in your birds and support stable results with efficient feed conversion!

 c. Bio-security plays a critical role in maintaining healthy layer farms - minimizing the spread of diseases and providing optimal conditions for pathogen-free poultry.

d. Effective management is key to maintaining a healthy environment for poultry and preventing issues such as overcrowding, stress, or heat stress which can lead to abnormalities in eggshells.

Conclusion

Egg production remains an integral part of the world's livestock sector, and numerous gains have been made to optimize for laying hens. Unfortunately, sometimes eggshell formation can be affected by various external factors.

 It is paramount that poultry intestinal health is maintained for the successful development of protective casings; otherwise, pathogenic agents may interfere with this natural process during its most critical stage - completion within a bird’s reproductive tract.

To protect shell health, preventive measures are paramount. This includes the strategic use of feed supplements and intestinal conditioners to optimize nutrition, as well as improved bio-security protocols and streamlined management for added safeguard.