Eggshell lining issue

[NHMountainMan]

I have a 22 week old whiting true green that's been laying roughly every other day. I know she's young and it will be some time before she regulates.
The issue is that when cracking open her eggs, the lining will not crack open. The eggshell peels off the lining, and I need to break horn the lining with my fingers.
Is this just her needing more time to develop or is there an issue?

Last week, I found several soft shell eggs only to find that the oyster shell I offer on the side had frozen solid. I've fixed that - but could the lining issue be related or do I need to look into other issues - or just wait?

 

[azygous]

Do you mean the membrane is tough and leathery? As long as the shell is solid, I don't see any significant issue here. Perhaps more clarification will open my eyes.

 

[NHMountainMan]

Do you mean the membrane is tough and leathery? As long as the shell is solid, I don't see any significant issue here. Perhaps more clarification will open my eyes.

Yes - the membrane is very thick and leathery, almost like a rubber membrane. I have to separately tear it open.

 

[azygous]

That is not a bad thing. The hen that laid it is very healthy.

Good shell and membrane keep the egg fresher and from drying out. To open, give it a solid crack on the edge of the frying pan.

 

[NHMountainMan]

That is not a bad thing. The hen that laid it is very healthy.

Good shell and membrane keep the egg fresher and from drying out. To open, give it a solid crack on the edge of the frying pan.

I'll try to get a picture later today - even a solid crack doesn't break it. all that does is shatter the shell, which peals off the membrane. It look like an image from a soft shelled egg, or an egg with no shell at all. I'll get a picture up by end of day.

Thanks

 

[aart]

even a solid crack doesn't break it. all that does is shatter the shell, which peals off the membrane

Yup, same here with some birds, gotta break the membrane with thumbnail.

 

[NHMountainMan]

Yup, same here with some birds, gotta break the membrane with thumbnail.

So pretty normal and not an indication of a problem like a mineral or vitamin deficiency?

 

[azygous]

I would insist the tough membrane shows the exact opposite of a mineral/vitamin deficiency. It's like you complaining about tough bones after surviving a fall off your roof.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I would insist the tough membrane shows the exact opposite of a mineral/vitamin deficiency. It's like you complaining about tough bones after surviving a fall off your roof.

That made me lol. Some of my hens lay eggs with tougher membranes than others. So after giving the egg a solid whack on the top of my smooth stovetop, I rotate the egg so the cracked area is toward me and puncture the membrane with my thumbs. If that doesn't do the trick, maybe his hen is laying a double-shelled egg, sorta. You know, an egg with two membranes maybe. I had a hen whose eggs were weirdly cloudy instead of crystal clear like the others and I finally figured that's what was going on. Kind of a half-formed egg inside an egg. Maybe I was wrong but that's what it seemed like.

Edit: sigh. I need to check for typos BEFORE I click "post!"

 

[IamRainey]

Mine have those strong membranes too. Annoying when you're just trying to crack an egg open without having the shell crumble in your hand but good rather than bad news after all.