Do I have a sick hen?

[sharonlacouture]

Hi Gang-
I checked the forum topics but didn't see anything like this.
Has anyone ever had an egg laid that doesn't have a shell on it?
I had an egg today, gelatinous with the membrane but no hard shell.
So it stayed formed as an egg but like it was set jell-o.

[I showed it to my Honey, then flushed it and super washed my hands]

Anybody have a clue to what might be going on in my coop????

~Sharon

 

[Mac14]

How old are your hens?

 

[CMV]

A soft-shelled egg is nothing more than a fluke in the plumbing, usually. If they happen with regularity then you may have a problem, but a single appearance is usually nothing to worry about. They often happen in new layers or birds coming back into lay after a molt. It can be very hard on a hen to pass such an egg (no hard surface for the body to push against), but the bird usually recovers without any intervention.

Good luck.

 

[dawg53]

Sometimes chickens lay mishapen eggs... all shapes and sizes, including shelless eggs. As long as the egg wasnt broken inside your hen, consider it a one time anomaly and doesnt necessarily mean there's something wrong. However, if she continues to lay shelless eggs it could mean that there could be something wrong inside her, or maybe needing extra calcium in the form of crushed oyster shells given free choice or finely ground eggshells mixed in her feed. Age could also determine mishapen or shelless eggs especially when birds first start to lay until their innards get used to laying.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

x2 an occasional soft shell, especially for a new-layer is pretty normal. If it happens regularly make sure she is getting enough calcium. If she has regular calcium and it still happens consistently then something could be wrong with her egg maker internally.

I wouldn't worry about it for now. Give it a little time and see how she does.

 

[sharonlacouture]

Thanks very much for your quick response. I just wanted to be sure I didn't have a sick hen, they [6] were a year old in June. I appreciate your advice and will keep an eye on them.

Thanks again,
Sharon

 

[sharonlacouture]

there are 6 and they were a year old in June.