chicken gone bad

[JaeG]

It comes down to whether they are pets who are dearly loved and taken to the vet if necessary, just like a dog or cat, or whether you view them as a commodity whose performance needs to be weighed up against the cost of keeping them.

 

[chickenonice]

OOH. Our chicken in question has laid an egg without it's shell. (pre- scrambled?) We found the yolk and white inside the nest box, but no sign of a shell. Any advice?

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Yes, this could be just due to seasonal hormone shifts (spring and late summer/fall the birds tend to have crazy hormone shifts from seasons changing) and you may have to wait it out. It could also be a calcium deficiency, and giving out a dish of oyster shell might be an effective way to remedy it.
It could also just be a fluke if it's just the once. Eggs are like a factory assembly line and sometimes something goes wrong and it moves through the line too quickly or slowly or gets stuck somewhere. If this is a one-time event I would not fret it.

 

[chickenonice]

Yeah, her eggshells have been getting progressively weaker, 'till they stopped coming altogether. My family is getting anxious to kill her, so the bit of hope you've given is welcome. Thank you!!