cracked egg

[Newtochicks21]

Does the shell feel thinner at the end there, since it's always cracking in the same spot?

My guess is:

the egg is cracking upon being laid (and the shell may be thinner in that spot) because she's pushing so much bedding out of the way that there isn't enough padding. You don't need to buy nest pads BTW... what I use is empty feed bags, folded to fit the nest bottom, and that lodges in nicely so that the hens can't push them out. Put bedding over that. If that still isn't enough padding, you can put a couple sheets of bubble wrap inside the feed bag (to prevent chickens from messing with it) and then fold it to fit and add bedding.

View attachment 2868641

I wondered if that was happening too...about it cracking as it's being laid. The first 2 eggs did seem that could be the case. Yesterday's egg seemed too deep for that - almost as if something went through it. I will continue to watch and I love your idea for a diy pad...thank you!

 

[GC-Raptor]

I agree with rosemarythyme.
Egg lands on pointy end when laid, had that happen with my first flock when I didn't put down enough straw.

Put a 4" inch lip on nests to help contain bedding.

I also agree with aart about new layers. I have some now just beginning to lay and have to readjust shavings in nests several times daily.
The pullets move shavings from one corner to the other.

A thick layer of straw might work better.

Photo with straw from my first Flock.
GC

 

[Folly's place]

I've used straw, hay, and/ or shavings, have that 4" lip across the front of the nest boxes, and still have bedding rearranged and pushed out of the boxes! The feed bags give support and cushioning anyway, fortunately.
Mary

 

[aart]

Egg lands on pointy end when laid

I believe it comes out fat end first?

I think it's explained in this excellent video, which is worth watching regardless:

 

[Ridgerunner]

You beat me to it Aart. It does come out fat end first. The hen stands up a little, not a lot but a little, when she lays the egg that end it could be hitting something. It's kind of strange that it is consistent every day. If it were an irregular event I'd say to check the nest to see if you have a nail or screw sticking out that the egg is hitting. I'll suggest it anyway but for that to happen three days in a row would be a wild coincidence.

Hens walk on the eggs when getting on and off the nest. It shows how tough those eggs are that we don't see a lot of claw punctures. To me the size and shape of that suggests that it may have hit a nail or screw head more than a claw puncture or a hen pecking the egg. I've seen claw punctures, they can be anywhere on the egg and don't look like that. More like an ice pick than a screw head. But don't rule that out. You just never know.

I agree to check how thin the egg shell might be on that end or just overall compared to the other eggs. Not all shell glands work perfectly.

I don't know how high the lips are on your nests. Sometimes raising the lip will stop them from scratching bedding, fake eggs, and real eggs out. Sometimes not. And of course, putting padding in there could help.

If that were one time I'd just say stuff happens. But three days in a row is kind of confusing. That's getting consistent.

 

[Newtochicks21]

I appreciate everyone's replies. So the first 2 times, the crack was on the pointy end and this last time (photo) was on the fat end...not sure if knowing that helps to solve the mystery.

There is nothing pointy in the boxes...just plywood. That's why I wondered if she was pecking it once before leaving it behind. Though it seems like it would be difficult to peck at it on the ends like that based on how it would most likely be laying on it's side in the box. All 3 cracks have looked like the end has landed on something pointy, which I agree would be quite a coincidence.

I didn't crack the shell of the one in the photo because I just ended up throwing it in the trash. I wish I had...I did however crack the first 2 and they didn't appear thinner or more fragile to me.

Our plan for today is to add some sort of padding under the bedding. Hopefully that is a simply fix.

 

[Newtochicks21]

You beat me to it Aart. It does come out fat end first. The hen stands up a little, not a lot but a little, when she lays the egg that end it could be hitting something. It's kind of strange that it is consistent every day. If it were an irregular event I'd say to check the nest to see if you have a nail or screw sticking out that the egg is hitting. I'll suggest it anyway but for that to happen three days in a row would be a wild coincidence.

Hens walk on the eggs when getting on and off the nest. It shows how tough those eggs are that we don't see a lot of claw punctures. To me the size and shape of that suggests that it may have hit a nail or screw head more than a claw puncture or a hen pecking the egg. I've seen claw punctures, they can be anywhere on the egg and don't look like that. More like an ice pick than a screw head. But don't rule that out. You just never know.

I agree to check how thin the egg shell might be on that end or just overall compared to the other eggs. Not all shell glands work perfectly.

I don't know how high the lips are on your nests. Sometimes raising the lip will stop them from scratching bedding, fake eggs, and real eggs out. Sometimes not. And of course, putting padding in there could help.

If that were one time I'd just say stuff happens. But three days in a row is kind of confusing. That's getting consistent.

I think it's getting consistent too. I want to stop it because I don't want it to become a thing. That's my biggest worry at the moment.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I believe it comes out fat end first?

Yes it does. But it usually does a somersault from videos I've seen. GC

 

[Newtochicks21]

Wanted to give an update - we are still dealing with this same issue. I ended up getting nesting pads. Our problem hen scratched every pad until she destroyed them. I replaced the pads yesterday and today I found all the pads completely flipped over and almost out of all the boxes. Her eggs continue to have that same puncture mark (on one of the ends).

Today I observed some new behaviors - first I noticed she was pecking at a pad in one of the boxes. Looking closer I found an egg within the nesting pad crushed. I immediately removed the pad and cleaned out the box.

Later, I noticed that almost everytime I went outside the hen in question was in the coop. I noticed that when another hen goes into the coop, she immediately follows them. When someone else is in a box she will stand outside of that box and watch and wait. The other hens seem to be leaving the box before they lay - I am wondering if she is causing this. Some even go in and out a few times throughout the day. The last thing I noticed for today was one hen kept wanting to go lay her egg and this hen was following her. At one point, the hen was in the box and the problem hen was trying to peck around in the box under and behind her while she was in there. I tried to pull her out of the coop and she wouldn't let me get her but she also wouldn't leave the coop, even when I tried to make her leave the coop.

Finally she did go outside and I quickly shut the small coop door so she could not go back in. Once the hen laid her egg, I opened the door back up.

Does this hen have to go? I am thinking about trying to crate her in the run for a few days so she only has access to the coop at night. I would appreciate anyone sharing thoughts and ideas. I am new to chickens so I don't know if this is something that will/can pass or is this is just the hen's personality.

Sorry this so long. Thank you for reading it

 

[gimmie birdies]

Not a good idea to leave a cracked egg in nest. I can hatch if after day 10 crack and incubate in incubator with much moisture.