Can anyone explain???

[Crack N' Egg]

I have a RIR (at least I think its her) that lays the weirdest eggs. We acquired her from a friend that was downsizing his flock about a 6 months ago. The eggs never change, they are always this strange.

1. She is appox. 1 1/2-2 yo.

2. Agway Layer Short Pellet

3. Free choice Oyster Shell

4. Yogurt 1 - 2 x a week, with special additions of cut grapes, or shredded carrots, blueberries, cherries, lettuce.

5. Free range almost every day for at least 5 hours.

6. Healthy looking with the exception of her vent area and beneath being forever bare. NO mites, NO worms.

7. Poop is normal, comb nice and red and firm.


So is this just her anatomy, or am I missing something? Also the shell is so thin that you have to be careful when you grab it out of the nesting box. When my hens lay in a shared box sometimes the subsequent hen will accidentally crush it when laying. Sometimes the egg will ooze out of its pours. It is the bizzarest thing I have ever seen to date.

Has anyone else ever had to deal with this?

 

[gritsar]

You might find this information helpful:

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/1/egg-quality-handbook/18/misshapen-eggs

 

[Crack N' Egg]

Thank you for your response gritsar. So it looks like that basically I have to cull this one hen.

Problem is, I don't know how long she has been laying these eggs. I have to correct my first post. I thought we had her for about 6 months, but it has only been about 4.

And when we got her she started her molt, so she didn't lay for a while. Very odd. Not good news though.

If anyone else has had this experience please tell me. I would love to know what you have done!

 

[oesdog]

Honestly - So what if the eggs are a funny shape as long as the hen is happy!!!!!!! Ok so if your determined to have a straight banana everytime then give her to someone who doesn;t mind eggs with funny shapes. I have a han that has odd shaped eggs on and off but she is happy so why on earth would I kill her!!!!!!!

The eggs taste the same !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - I just spoke to aome poor person who just lost their hen today that they loved dearly and you are thinking of killing her for odd eggs???????????

Oesdog -

 

[Lynette]

I have to agree with oesdog. As long as the chicken is happy and healthy, I couldn't imagine killing her over the shape of her eggs.

 

[dawg53]

oesdog. The problem with the mishapen egg could possibly be Infectious Bronchitis (IB), which is contageous to other chickens. If that's the case, the entire flock would have to be closed. In other words no selling or giving away contageous chickens, and no introducing new chickens. The good news is that the infected chicken will eventually lay normal eggs but not as often as before and the eggs are safe to eat, but she will be a carrier. On the other hand this may not be IB. Stress can cause misshapen eggs, soft eggs etc...Some of the contributors to stress are heat, predator attack, parasites etc...As far as I can tell Crack N' Egg has done everything correctly and has been getting these misshapen eggs frequently. Crack N' Egg stated that the egg will ooze out of the pours, this could be a clear sign that the eggs whites are liquifying, an indicator of IB if the egg is opened on a plate and the white is watery. I'm sorry to say that I recommend that Crack N' Hen should cull the hen. Crack N' Hen, you have a tough decision to make.

 

[oesdog]

I remember as a child having an egg lady come to the door every week to sell eggs to my mother. - were going back a good few decades! As children we would gather round the egg tray and crain our neck to see what was in it "this time" - some were normal boring old eggs but others weird and wonderfully shaped. We loved especially big odd ones that invariably would contain 2 or three yolks. My mother baked with all her eggs - some as odd as those shown and looked exactly like them. I have 3 siblings we all grew up strong and healthy and ate all the eggs!!!!!!!!! - Sometimes in this world sadly folk only accept things that are perfect! If she will go on to lay normal eggs what is the big issue here? If you must seperate her and give her a friend and use the eggs for yourself ! Or give her away - !

I hate all this nonesence about perfection.

Oesdog - So what if the eggs are weird! I wish she was my hen!

 

[dawg53]

I never said there was anything wrong with the eggs. However, I personally wouldnt eat a watery egg, little or no nutrition, there also could be a secondary infection. It's the chicken itself that is ill. IF it's IB, it could spread to other chickens and then you have an epidemic if the flock isnt closed. Think biosecurity. By no means, give the chicken away!

 

[Crack N' Egg]

easy guys!! I never wanted to start an argument here.

In no way shape (haha) or form am I looking for a perfect egg. As a matter of fact we have a couple of odd shaped eggs. That is not the issue. We've been leaving these hens eggs for our consumption instead of giving them to our customers. But the link that 'gritsar' posted clearly states that if this is a continuous thing with the misshapen egg, it needs to be investigated further.

The eggs are very watery and runny so I am going to figure out a way to have her tested before any decision is made. I am not going to jeopardize ALL my other chickens for this one. Yes I would love to keep her, yes I would love to make her better if I can, but if it is serious and I can't help her then I'm not going to have my 5 yo daughter and 2 yo son and 26 other chickens around her.

The one thing is that I'm confused about is if she did have something serious...she has been with all my other chickens for months now. And we've all been eating her eggs...so wouldn't we be sick???

This is not a vanity issue! Just a worried mom issue!

 

[ADozenGirlz]

I had a hen lay this freakish egg once, but only once. Tough call, but I'd be interested to see more symtoms or other evidence of disease before I would be willing to cull her. Good luck, keep us posted.