Giant Egg

[FosterFlock]

One of our girls is laying giant eggs... the biggest one was approx eight inches around! When we crack them open, in addition to the usual yolk and white is another entire egg, shell and all! Has anyone seen this before?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Egg in an egg is not as uncommon as one might think, but it is still rare enough to be an oddity.

 

[tdepointe]

Egg in an egg is not as uncommon as one might think, but it is still rare enough to be an oddity.

I agree it is an oddity. I have seen this once but have been raising hens for more than 15 years.

 

[EmeraldRuby]

We all have the

August laid one a few months back. I don't have pictures of it on my computer, but yeah its normal every once and a while.

Edit: I have not had an egg in an egg, thats odd, I wonder...

 

[Mutt Farm]

Oh my gosh! I've never! Has she just started laying? Has she laid any "normal" eggs? Fascinating.

 

[FosterFlock]

She's very young, about 8 months old. She's been laying for about a month now. Most of her eggs are normal and relatively small. We've gotten about 4 of these weird ones so far. Poor baby! I just keep thinking how it must hurt to lay them! The outside egg shell is usually slightly cracked - I think she cracks them when she gets off of them.

 

[Mutt Farm]

That's crazy. I know it happens but I wonder HOW? Fascinating and poor hen! Hope she sorts it out! Thank you for posting this info!

 

[EmeraldRuby]

She's very young, about 8 months old. She's been laying for about a month now. Most of her eggs are normal and relatively small. We've gotten about 4 of these weird ones so far. Poor baby! I just keep thinking how it must hurt to lay them! The outside egg shell is usually slightly cracked - I think she cracks them when she gets off of them.

Its probably getting messed up when its forming. But hey more eggs??? XD

 

[tdepointe]

She's very young, about 8 months old. She's been laying for about a month now. Most of her eggs are normal and relatively small. We've gotten about 4 of these weird ones so far. Poor baby! I just keep thinking how it must hurt to lay them! The outside egg shell is usually slightly cracked - I think she cracks them when she gets off of them.

The only time I did see one it was within the first couple of weeks of starting to lay. My hen as a Red Star.

 

[aart]

She's very young, about 8 months old. She's been laying for about a month now. Most of her eggs are normal and relatively small. We've gotten about 4 of these weird ones so far. Poor baby! I just keep thinking how it must hurt to lay them! The outside egg shell is usually slightly cracked - I think she cracks them when she gets off of them.

4 with a shelled egg inside a shelled egg...or just some oblong double yolkers?
Multiple double yolkers during the first month or so is not unusual.
Is the outer shell thin?

That's crazy. I know it happens but I wonder HOW? Fascinating and poor hen! Hope she sorts it out! Thank you for posting this info!

It happens when a shelled egg backs up in the tract and another yolk, albumen and membranes gets formed around it.