Clear mucousy substance in nest box???

[Jntnrmn]

I have searched MANY pages of forums, I have typed in several different phrases in search engine and hve found nothing....I hve now found a clear substance in nesting box two times. It doesn't have any color at all, I can't figure out what it could be. I have even googled it in hopes I could find the answer elsewhere but I'm always lead back to BYC and only find posts about egg yolks found or eggs without shells...does anyone know what this clea substance could be. I have 6 RIR girls. Four are laying regularly and got a 5th egg yesterday. They are 6 months old.
Thanks for any help

 

[Free Spirit]

Is it possible to get a picture of it if it happens again?

Clear mucus in a nest box makes me think that a hen laid an egg. Then her and/or another hen ate the shell and yolk being all that was left was the white (albumin).

 

[Jntnrmn]

Hmm, that is a good thought, I took a picture. I notice in the picture there appears to be some yellow, I looked in the nest bix and I do not see the yellow so I don't know if the camera flash lights it up or if it's just the way the wood looks in the picture. I do not see any egg shells laying around but they do seem to be very thorough when they eat anything they consider a treat, very wasteful with their food but leave no evidence of snacks!
There were 3 eggs in the neighboring nest box and a hen working on an egg on the other side of that one. So IF a hen is eating an egg, would she just be full after one egg or not interested in the others?

 

[Jntnrmn]

On a different issue.....that nest box never seems to have straw in it, I put it back in many times throughout the day and it's always naked when I go back down, but the other two always have straw and eggs. I have only ever found one egg in the naked box pictured above. I'm not sure if is is relevant information or not, but thought I would add it

 

[Jntnrmn]

Is it possible to get a picture of it if it happens again?

Clear mucus in a nest box makes me think that a hen laid an egg. Then her and/or another hen ate the shell and yolk being all that was left was the white (albumin).

I think you are right, I think it's the leftover of an eaten egg. I jut went down and scooped up as much as I could and it does have yellow in it and it does feel like a raw egg...thank you so very much for such a quick reply. I suppose now I will be searching through the threads on wht to do when they eat eggs

 

[Cel45]

This is timely, I found the same thing yesterday. I have enclosed a picture. How old is the hen that did this or do you know? My was from a Production Red pullet 24wks and 5 days old. This morning she laid her first real egg. I wonder if this is like a plug coming out or if their bodies clear the line before they lay their first egg and we just usually don't see the stuff, especially in free range chickens. Anybody have any thoughts?

 

[junebuggena]

Newly laying pullets will frequently lay shell-less eggs or eggs in random places. Some will even lay while walking around the coop or run or while sitting on a roost. Those eggs often get cracked or broken. Cracked, broken, or shell-less eggs will usually get eaten, but it does not indicate that you have an egg-eater.

On a different issue.....that nest box never seems to have straw in it, I put it back in many times throughout the day and it's always naked when I go back down, but the other two always have straw and eggs. I have only ever found one egg in the naked box pictured above. I'm not sure if is is relevant information or not, but thought I would add it

It's possible that the girl that favors that nest box fusses with the nesting materials some much that she kicks it all out. She might even be breaking her egg on accident with all her shuffling things about.

 

[Jntnrmn]

CEl45, my girls are 6 months old. As of today, I got 6 eggs, counting the even/ shelless egg where as i had only been getting 3 consistently and many days a fourth. So 5 and six just occurred as of yesterday and today. I don't know enough to have any thoughts on your suggestion of a plug but it makes sense to me.
Junebuggena, I will certainly keep my eye out to see if maybe she is just fussing too much with the straw causing her egg to break, or if she is pecking at it. I have one hen that just doesn't like me and I caught her a couple times pecking an egg as I was checking on the girls and taking an egg out. She used to peck at me every chance she got but has sense started to retaliate in other ways. I am embarrassed to admit that I cannot tell my girls apart. There are 2 that are significantly bigger than the others and it's one of the bigger girls that doesn't like me. But I don't know who lays when me what....
They have had some changes recently and I hate to think I have caused them undue stress leading to a problem. They had been fully free range except at night but wouldn't stay on our property, crossing the road and such so they are locked up more in a pen now.
I have planned to watch the situation, if it occurs again I will evaluate food issues, and entertainment and nesting boxes...I looked into the roll away nesting box, that may be what I try if i continue to find this mess.
I appreciate any thoughts but for now, I suppose I have some really good suggestions to look out for
Janet

 

[Free Spirit]

Newly laying pullets will frequently lay shell-less eggs or eggs in random places. Some will even lay while walking around the coop or run or while sitting on a roost. Those eggs often get cracked or broken. Cracked, broken, or shell-less eggs will usually get eaten, but it does not indicate that you have an egg-eater.
It's possible that the girl that favors that nest box fusses with the nesting materials some much that she kicks it all out. She might even be breaking her egg on accident with all her shuffling things about.

I agree with @junebuggena and it may just be a young layer and it will pass. I've had a few eaten during the first few eggs of a young layer after being pecked at by the girl that laid it. I just made sure to check for eggs a few times per day and collect them and have had none eaten since. I also make sure they are on a good feed with oyster shell on the side.

Collect eggs often and wait a week or two and see if it passes. If you're still having issues after that then you may want to familiarize yourself by reading this article from the BYC Learning Center on egg eaters
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/six-tips-on-breaking-your-egg-eater

Best of luck

 

[Cel45]

Yeah, mine were six months last Sunday. She did fine and laid a nice egg this morning. I only have two at this point and the other is not laying yet so I know who did it. Good luck!!