We've been anxiously waiting for our Araucana to lay for about 3 months. She finally laid her first egg a couple of days ago, We were super excited and ready to put it in the incubator but noticed it had a crack in the tip end of it, Today she laid another one and it had a crack in the tip of it too. What could be causing her eggs to crack? I thought that it looked like she pecked it but Honey says he thinks its getting cracked when she lays it. Oh, and can you hatch an egg that's been cracked?
She could have pecked at it, chickens can be known to eat their eggs sometimes. Does she have lots of soft bedding in her nest or wherever she lays? Also I know just about nothing on the subject of hatching and incubation but i wouldn't try to hatch a cracked egg.
It maybe that she is getting her egg-laying system sorted. Sometimes the timing of the sub-systems do not work together properly in new layers, hence, one can get soft-shelled eggs, and even shell-less eggs. If the crack is in roughly the same place, that could be the reason. You will know best if you can be around when she is laying and remove the egg immediately. Eggs from pullets new to laying are typically smaller than they will be at maturity. This, combined with cracks would not make them suitable for incubating IMO.
Where your hen lays her eggs can make a big difference. A lot of people like to use metal and wood nesting boxes and the eggs crack as they hit the nesting box. There are companies that make nesting pads to put in the boxes and many like the loose bedding. It does take time for the young hens bodies to figure out how to create a good egg.
Nesting material could be the reason...Thin shells is not enough Calcium in her diet...My silly pullets this year would not touch the oyster shell...I tricked them and started a mixed bowl of oyster shell, granite grit, handful of oat and barley grumble and a handful of scratch....They now eat the oyster shell combo and my eggs are great....To not get a calcium over load I make the combo every second day with the plain oyster shell still out.... I use pine shavings and a bit of straw in my nests... Best of luck... Cheers!
Sounds like not enough nesting material. I use about 2 or 3 inches of pine shavings from Tractor Supply in kitty litter boxes. Remember a chicken actually stands up when it lays the egg, so if there's not enough cushion when it hits it's easy to crack.
