Fairy Eggs ? Why ?

[oceansunset73]

One of my hen's have been laying very teenie tiny eggs, I am assuming they would be considered fairy eggs. If it was just one or two once in a great while, I wouldn't be concerned but this will be the FOURTH one in a row. And the very first one had a huge mass of gunky stuff surrounding it, almost like a soft shell egg that had broken open and covered part of the tiny egg.

I attached a pic of the one she laid today. For size reference there is a quarter next to it, and a normal size egg from one of my other hens of the same breed.

Should I be worried? Is she having reproductive problems? Or will this pass....

She is a Production Red, 1 year old.

 

[bantamluv]

Has she started laying recently? I know this happened to one of my BCMs for a while but she eventually worked it out. The gunky stuff surrounding the egg has me a bit concerned, however.

 

[oceansunset73]

Thanks for the reply. No, she has been laying for quite a while. She's a little over a year old, never had an issue before. She has never had speckley looking eggs before either.

 

[bantamluv]

Hmm, the speckles don't concern me at all, but I'm still not sure what would cause this. I would just watch her to see what happens and post any updates

 

[bantamluv]

I'm still very sure that she'll be fine, though.

 

[christwodog]

My neighbor's chicken was laying tiny eggs like that and it turned out to be calcium deficiency. She had her on food without the calcium and wasn't providing any oyster shell either. As soon as she got some oyster shell (from me), the eggs went back to normal. Don't know if that's the cause for your tiny eggs, but it's a simple thing to rule out.

 

[sourland]

Sometimes hens will do this at the end of a laying cycle.

 

[oceansunset73]

Hmm, the speckles don't concern me at all, but I'm still not sure what would cause this. I would just watch her to see what happens and post any updates

Thank you, I'll keep watching her.

 

[oceansunset73]

My neighbor's chicken was laying tiny eggs like that and it turned out to be calcium deficiency. She had her on food without the calcium and wasn't providing any oyster shell either. As soon as she got some oyster shell (from me), the eggs went back to normal. Don't know if that's the cause for your tiny eggs, but it's a simple thing to rule out.

Thanks. My hens have access to oyster shells, separate from their food. So I do not think that calcium would be her issue, but you never know, maybe she just isn't eating them. I will keep an eye on her though, I appreciate your reply.

 

[oceansunset73]

Sometimes hens will do this at the end of a laying cycle.

I see. I hope that's not the case with her, she is only a little over 1 year old. But I have read that Production breeds can wear their little bodies out faster than Heritage breeds so there is definitely that possibility. If that's the case she will just go into retirement early, my chickens are my pets and I will love her regardless. As long as there isn't anything seriously wrong with her, I'm ok with it. Thank you for the response.