Egg cracks...

I'm not sure of this hens age we got her as a stray already laying. She lays 4-5 a week on average usually 2 or 3 with one day off. I'm use to seeing body checked eggs from her usually a ring on the smaller half all the way around. This is our first cracked (whole egg not broken just visible cracks)

I did candle it with a standard flash light along with a few of her others from the past week to make sure this hasn't been a normal thing I just want seeing

4 piont star pattern from a central spot, only about half way around the egg.

you can see they all go about half way around the egg.

hopefully this one is visible enough. It looks like there is a depression (more like a pressure spot) in the middle of the cracks).

So in thinking since I haven't seen this before either she stood up while laying, or one of the other hens dropped thier egg on it. I'm thinking it happened in the nest. But then again it does sort of look like it was trying to heal before it was laid, so maybe it was an internal crack.

I haven't noticed anything off in the flock they did get free range yesterday after 2 crazy days that keep them in the coop. (Bad timing one day and looking for a dog owner the second) she skipped laying yesterday which is normal for her as she just layed the 2 days prior.


I guess my biggest question is the egg safe? Do I just move it to the front of the egg eating rotation? Or feed it to the dog, or chickens?

You can eat it right away if it is fresh otherwise you can give it to the chickens or dogs

Some of my hens routinely lay eggs like that, it's just what they do, I think it's caused by them pausing during laying but not totally sure. You may just continue to see them.

I was looking at it more. And there are no cracks on any other eggs (even under candling) and it really looks like there is extra pigment in the crack lines so I'm thinking more it was an internal crack. Guess I'll just be checking he eggs for a while.

Thanks of we can't use it today or tomorrow morning I'll make sure it goes back to the animals. I know my hound dog would love a raw egg with dinner

Eggs can crack during the shelling process then the cracks are 'healed' as the shelling process continues.

The membrane is probably intact,
and the shell may be sealed also,
as well as coated with the bloom which protects it from contamination.

It's probably fine to eat, examine the membrane and shell closely when breaking it to eat to learn more.

So I do have an egg dropper... and it's not the hen that layed that egg, but I might know who it is...

I have 3 girls that laid today. But I couldn't get them till after the 3rd had laided. I tan smashed with the second tan literally on top of it and covered in egg goo. And the third a green laid beside but only a touch of egg goo. Both the second and third to lay today are my newest layers. I guess the funny part is no on tried to eat any of the mess and the third hen possibly laid her egg in a messy nest. Either way is one of those 2 that broke the egg and possibly cracked the previous one. Though I guess the third girl could be to rough when moving the eggs