Weird looking eggs

Hey folks-
I was doing research and found this website. Research I was doing had to with why I had some weird looking eggs showing up, and I found some pics from 2010 posted by MIKE555444. The eggs displayed in the pics are nearly identical to what I just recently started seeing.
There were several suggestions or reasons afforded, but is there/was there ever any absolute conclusion as to the cause?
I have attached one of the pics which had been posted.

Thanks

I have had a very weird shaped egg and a shell-less egg in the last 2 days. I have 3 year old hens and 3 younger hens that haven't laid yet, however, I'm wondering if maybe one of the younger ones has started? The weird shaped egg looks like a paper machete art project gone wrong. We provide good feed for laying hens, scratch grain, scraps and fresh water. What am I missing?

dotman5614 said:

Hey folks-
I was doing research and found this website. Research I was doing had to with why I had some weird looking eggs showing up, and I found some pics from 2010 posted by MIKE555444. The eggs displayed in the pics are nearly identical to what I just recently started seeing.
There were several suggestions or reasons afforded, but is there/was there ever any absolute conclusion as to the cause?
I have attached one of the pics which had been posted.

Thanks

Click to expand...

These are called Corrugated egg shells. There are many possible causes that can be attributed to them, and no-one can determine with 100% certainty which of those causes it might be in any one instance. According to my research some possible causes are:-

• - Extra large egg size which causes a thinning of the membrane
• - Newcastle disease
• - Excessive use of antibiotics
• - Copper deficiency
• - Excess calcium
• - Defective shell glands
• - Infectious bronchitis and hereditary issues

jodyv said:

I have had a very weird shaped egg and a shell-less egg in the last 2 days. I have 3 year old hens and 3 younger hens that haven't laid yet, however, I'm wondering if maybe one of the younger ones has started? The weird shaped egg looks like a paper machete art project gone wrong. We provide good feed for laying hens, scratch grain, scraps and fresh water. What am I missing?

Click to expand...

It is not unusual for young hens beginning to lay to have all sorts of egg anomalies, such as the ones you have mentioned. That being said, older birds coming to the end of their egg laying lives will also have some strange egg offerings also. It could be any one of them, but if I were a betting woman I'd say one of your younger pullets is coming into lay.

The only thing you are missing from the diet list provided is grit and crushed oyster shell. Both are essential to a laying hen's diet for good digestion and shell formation respectively, and both can be bought fairly cheaply at most rural feed stores. Sometimes these are sold as a single combined product called Shell Grit. I would buy some ASAP and offer it free access to your hens in a separate feeder or bowl next to your layers pellets.

A big welcome to both of you, and in both your cases I would say 'try not to worry!' These things are often just a glitch in the system, and unless they occur consistently I wouldn't be concerned. Egg issues usually resolve themselves fairly quickly providing an adequate diet is being supplied and the hen's general health and surroundings are good.

- Krista