Egg Covered in Yolk

[MommaKnows]

My 3 year old Americauna, Helga, laid an egg today that is completely covered in yellow yolk. The egg itself is fine, no cracks, and there were no cracked/broken eggs in the nest box. She is a consistent layer, about 4 eggs a week even now, and this is the first time this has happened. Should I be worried? She is behaving normally and doesn't seem to be sick or uncomfortable.

I have tried several times to upload a photo AND to use a link from Dropbox but BYC is not letting me do it. You can see the egg here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/0tt12y1y7j5tbfu/yolked.jpg

 

[jtn42248]

My 3 year old Americauna, Helga, laid an egg today that is completely covered in yellow yolk. The egg itself is fine, no cracks, and there were no cracked/broken eggs in the nest box. She is a consistent layer, about 4 eggs a week even now, and this is the first time this has happened. Should I be worried? She is behaving normally and doesn't seem to be sick or uncomfortable.

I have tried several times to upload a photo AND to use a link from Dropbox but BYC is not letting me do it. You can see the egg here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/0tt12y1y7j5tbfu/yolked.jpg

There are others here that probably can (and I hope will) answer your concerns better than I can...but, I would not be too concerned if she is acting normal. Probably had and egg finished and ready to lay and another in the process that just got in the way. Funny little egg making machines these hens. I have one that at least once a week lays a perfectly fine large brown egg followed by a tiny little egg about the size of a dime that has no yolk, only egg white, but the shell is fine and hard and the same color as the normal egg she just laid. I guess she just has some left over egg white and decides to go ahead and wrap it in a shell as well. No unusual behavior on her part and she doesn't seem to think it is odd.

Keep an eye on her, especially her next egg or two, just to be sure.

 

[krista74]

Do you have any other layers?

The only reason I ask is that yesterday I took an apparently normal egg out of the nest box which was covered in yolk too.

It turns out one of my other layers had laid a soft shelled egg in the nest prior to this egg being laid, and the hen squashed it, covering it (and herself) with yolk!

Just a possibility....

- Krista

 

[MommaKnows]

I do, but this egg was COMPLETELY covered, like it had been dipped in egg yolk, and there was no other yolk or mess in the box. The only other egg in there was from my only other hen who's laying right now, and it was clean... so I'm pretty sure it was Helga's. I could try to catch Helga and my one hen who's on strike right now and see if their backsides tell me anything, but from what I see just being in the yard with them, they are both clean.

 

[aart]

She could have released a second ova that didn't get encapsulated in the shell and it broke inside covering the shelled egg.
I wouldn't be too concerned, weird egg things happen, unless it happens again. When they get older, the system can go wonky.

 

[mamadawn]

I also just had this happen today. Found a cream colored egg in my run, evenly and completely covered with what appeared to be yellow yolk. It was starting to dry and getting a crackly look just like egg yolk gets when you brush a loaf of baked bread... It was yellow and everything. I'm not sure who laid it. I did look for fuzzy yolkie butts and dident discover any... Love to hear any ideas...

 

[mamadawn]

I'd be interested to know what Helga lays for the next few days...

I do, but this egg was COMPLETELY covered, like it had been dipped in egg yolk, and there was no other yolk or mess in the box. The only other egg in there was from my only other hen who's laying right now, and it was clean... so I'm pretty sure it was Helga's. I could try to catch Helga and my one hen who's on strike right now and see if their backsides tell me anything, but from what I see just being in the yard with them, they are both clean. 

 

[mamadawn]

I might add my girls are Aprox 22 wks old I got them as day olds from IFA.

 

[MommaKnows]

Well, it's been three days since the yolk covered egg, and Helga hasn't laid since. Hmm. She still is as chipper as ever, happily active and noisy just like normal. I have no idea what to make of it. She does go through periods where she doesn't lay for a few days. She has never laid an egg every single day. Usually 3-4 a week. It's just the yolked one is so odd that I am still concerned. I'm keeping an eye on her.

 

[aart]

Well, it's been three days since the yolk covered egg, and Helga hasn't laid since. Hmm. She still is as chipper as ever, happily active and noisy just like normal. I have no idea what to make of it. She does go through periods where she doesn't lay for a few days. She has never laid an egg every single day. Usually 3-4 a week. It's just the yolked one is so odd that I am still concerned. I'm keeping an eye on her.

That's about all you can do, unless you want to probe her to check for a broken shell inside, but if sh'es happy and active that's probably not the case.
Do some searching/reading on 'egg bound' just to get an idea on what might be up, take it all with a grain of salt or two....and you'll probably find something on the probe check so you'll know how to do it if you feel it's needed.