Ali James' Garden Chickens

[Aussie-Chookmum]

Oh crikey - Echo and Blue have outdone themselves in the last few days! Look at the size of their eggs the other day compared to their usual size eggs!

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We were wondering whether we were in for a double whammy - and yes! Both girls gave us a double-yolker! (Gutted a split the yolks on Echo's)

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Unsurprisingly, Echo took the following day off from egg laying - can't say I blame her at all.

Sympathies to your hens and congrats to you Ali!

 

[Ali James]

More egg oddities going on with my girls today - specifically Blue.

I found two soft shelled eggs on the droppings board today, both together where Blue roosts. I know they are from her as my girls have very distinctive eggs and I know where they all roost. I've had eggs from Echo and Delta today, Charlie is not yet laying.

Can you take a look at my video and share any advice you may have? For clarity, The girls have constant access to grit and oyster shell and are all on layers pellets. I have given them some of their own crushed egg shells as well as some mealworms. Is there anything else I can do?

I was wondering whether Blue might be a bit out of sync to 'lay' two eggs in her sleep on the same night, but clearly not having enough calcium in her system for both, so both have come out soft shelled.

She doesn't seem sick in the slightest - she is her usual chatty, nosy self getting under my feet and commenting on everything. Not off her food at all and has a lovely red comb and wattles.

Opinions greatly appreciated.

 

[Ribh]

In my experience [& I'm not all that experienced] soft shelled eggs are not uncommon when the girls 1st start laying while their body regulates egg laying. You can get some real funny ones: fairy eggs, fart eggs, lash eggs...all abnormalities & not something you want to see in an experienced layer but perfectly normal when they are starting out & their bodies are adjusting to the egg laying process. It probably won't persist but @BY Bob or someone more experienced should be along shortly to add their 2 cents worth.

 

[Ali James]

In my experience [& I'm not all that experienced] soft shelled eggs are not uncommon when the girls 1st start laying while their body regulates egg laying. You can get some real funny ones: fairy eggs, fart eggs, lash eggs...all abnormalities & not something you want to see in an experienced layer but perfectly normal when they are starting out & their bodies are adjusting to the egg laying process. It probably won't persist but @BY Bob or someone more experienced should be along shortly to add their 2 cents worth.

Thanks @Ribh - that's really reassuring

 

[MaryJanet]

Janet laid a soft-shell egg in her sleep when she was a youngster and she was fine. Like @Ribh says young hens might produce more than they can shell. I think soft-shell eggs are as abnormal as doubles and fairy eggs, which is not very abnormal. Unusual within a small flock, but common to chickens in general.

 

[BY Bob]

In my experience [& I'm not all that experienced] soft shelled eggs are not uncommon when the girls 1st start laying while their body regulates egg laying. You can get some real funny ones: fairy eggs, fart eggs, lash eggs...all abnormalities & not something you want to see in an experienced layer but perfectly normal when they are starting out & their bodies are adjusting to the egg laying process. It probably won't persist but @BY Bob or someone more experienced should be along shortly to add their 2 cents worth.

Aurora laid a softshell egg in the middle of the day on my deck just after she started laying. Mine have oyster shell and fortified layer food as well. I do believe it happens more often when they first get started. There is a rhythm they need to get into and it takes a little while. I would not really do anything right away. Let's see how the next few are. I would pay close attention to the roost as well. There may be more than 1 lasting there. They can move at night. I have a hard time believing 1 hen laid 2 eggs in one night. Not impossible but I would keep close track of them.

Here is Aurora's non-nest softshell egg. She has been fine ever since.

 

[LozzyR]

In my experience [& I'm not all that experienced] soft shelled eggs are not uncommon when the girls 1st start laying while their body regulates egg laying. You can get some real funny ones: fairy eggs, fart eggs, lash eggs...all abnormalities & not something you want to see in an experienced layer but perfectly normal when they are starting out & their bodies are adjusting to the egg laying process. It probably won't persist but @BY Bob or someone more experienced should be along shortly to add their 2 cents worth.

What on earth are fairy eggs, fart eggs and lash eggs?!

 

[Ribh]

What on earth are fairy eggs, fart eggs and lash eggs?!

From Google:
Fairy eggs occur when the hen's body begins to form an egg before a yolk is released from her oviduct. Therefore, only the white (albumen) is encased inside the shell.

Fart eggs: tiny eggs may or may not have a yolk. Yolk-less fart eggs are often called rooster eggs. These little eggs are often much darker than normal, as they spend more time in the shell gland pouch and gets an extra layer or two of pigment

A lash egg is a mess of vaguely egg-shape coagulated gunk, sometimes including bits of egg and egg shell, that results from infection somewhere within a hen's oviduct. So, even though the thing might be laid by a hen, it's not really an egg

 

[LozzyR]

From Google:
Fairy eggs occur when the hen's body begins to form an egg before a yolk is released from her oviduct. Therefore, only the white (albumen) is encased inside the shell.

Fart eggs: tiny eggs may or may not have a yolk. Yolk-less fart eggs are often called rooster eggs. These little eggs are often much darker than normal, as they spend more time in the shell gland pouch and gets an extra layer or two of pigment

A lash egg is a mess of vaguely egg-shape coagulated gunk, sometimes including bits of egg and egg shell, that results from infection somewhere within a hen's oviduct. So, even though the thing might be laid by a hen, it's not really an egg

Ohhhhh! Lucy laid a fart egg a couple of weeks ago! I could have Googled that but I’m enjoying the social element this thread is providing.

 

[Ribh]

Ohhhhh! Lucy laid a fart egg a couple of weeks ago! I could have Googled that but I’m enjoying the social element this thread is providing.

lol That's ok then...