Gelatinous Eggs

[terrilmoore]

We have three hens, one of which just began laying eggs. This AM her egg was in an odd nest, and when I picked it up, it had a soft, gelatinous feel... Any thoughts as to why? I thought about getting crushed oyster shell for calcium, but am not sure what would cause it... All thoughts ans suggestions are welcome!

 

[sherylreno]

This is very normal when chickens first start laying eggs. These are called "fart" eggs and they usually don't lay them in a nest, instead they land where ever they are expelled from the chicken. She's just trying to get her laying down.

 

[teach1rusl]

Keep to your formulated layer feed, and supplement with oyster shell, and it works itself out 99% of the time. There still may be an occasional jello egg or egg with paper thin shells...and possibly even just yellow/white with no membrane. A hen's egg producing organs sometimes encounter a glitch or hiccup, but it's most common in new layers.

 

[chickengrandma]

Actually, this rubbery egg is not "officially" a fart egg...at least according to the BYC members.

A fart egg is one of those little itty-bitty eggs that look like a quail laid them. And you are correct - they "lay" them any where because they don't even realize it is an egg...it is like they think it is just poo.

We've had a couple of gelatinous eggs. I think, for our girls, it seems to be right before they go broody. I'm sure this is not the case for everyone/all chickens. For my girl, is seems like she is emptying out her egg track before she is going to be sitting for her 28-ish days. This just my own little theory, for my girl, NOT at all based on facts...just what I've witnessed.

 

[STLchicken-chick]

I have 5 young girls and I've had one of them laying for about a week now... perfect little white eggs. Then yesterday, I have my usual perfect egg in the nest ... and two shell-less eggs just randomly about. The membrane was so thin, I couldn't have picked them up if I tried, so I scooped them with the cat litter scooper I use to clean their run. I was freaked out to say the least. I put some oyster shells for the first time this Sat. and switched to layer crumbles yesterday. I'm hoping they grow out of it... kind of nervous to check the coop when I get home today.