Got a rubbery egg tonight

[SandyRiverChick]

I know you've seen this alot, I tried to read as far back as I could stand it on "rubber egg" but I could only find 1 post where it might be that a layer did 2 in 1 day??? I assumed it was the newbie (23weeks) that hasnt layed yet but it was in the evening when I went to put them to to bed and good sized. I started thinking it might not be the newbie finally laying it could be 1 girl layed tommarrow's egg early and that's why its wierd??? I have 5 that are laying, 1 that isnt (to my knowledge) so it was the 6th egg of they day.... Whataya think?? THANKS!

 

[nature nut]

When you say you got a rubbery egg, do you mean an egg with just the membrane and no shell or a soft shell? If so, you may need more calcium in their diet. Do you give free choice oyster shell with their laying feed?

 

[SandyRiverChick]

It was pretty dark and hard for me to see and I tossed it in the compost so that I could get back to locking them up. But I tried to dig it out today to take a better look and I'm pretty sure it was just membrane. Also today there was some sticky yellow stuff in one of the nest boxes that I associated with that egg.... Today I only got 4 eggs so I'm sort of leaning on the side that it was suppose to be layed today but came out last night.... Of course not sure though. I do have a bowl of oyster shells next to the layer crumbles but it doesnt really look like they do much with it. I try to give yogurt at least once/week. They free range most of the day....

 

[nature nut]

I had an egg with no shell one night after I first got my two older girls and I didn't know what to do. Someone in the emergencies section told me to give each 1/2 a tums crushed in a little water with an eyedropper. I haven't had an egg with no shell since then. I have heard that if you have trouble getting them to eat the oyster shell you can grind it up and mix it with something they do eat. If you just have that one egg though I probably wouldn't let it worry me.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Thanks for the suggestions! It does seem like why is even out there if they're not going to eat it, so I'm going to try grinding the oyster shells. I'm interested though - did you also get a rubbery one at night ? It seemed so out of cycle to be at night.....

 

[nature nut]

Yes it was at night or else really early in the morning. I went out and she had laid it while sitting on the roost like she hadn't gone to find a better place to lay it and truthfully I've never figured out which one of the two hens laid it. If the RIR laid it she would've laid a regularly shelled egg plus an egg with no shell in one night. That could've actually been the case because the EE chicken has always used the nestbox but the RIR never has and both of those eggs were found in the poop box under the roost.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

EXACTLY how I found mine, right in the poop tray under the roost, not in a nest box. I really think it was 2 in 1 day and not just lack of calcium. I also remembered today that there is another source of calcium they are getting besides layer feed, oyster shells and yogurt, they eat broccoli every day from my garden (guess I planted it for them this year). Another thread said that they can have a scare that will make them lay early. Since mine range all day something scarey could have happened that I didnt see. Oh well, just hope it doesnt happen again since its so wierd......

 

[garngang]

This just happened to me this morning too! I go out at daylight (I manage a coffee shop so I'm up early) I go out like normal to let them out and there is an egg on their dropping board. It's a soft rubbery egg. Yesterday I found an egg on the floor in front of the nest boxes like they missed or something. These r the first eggs outside of the nest boxes in the few weeks they have been laying. Think the soft egg is a fluke?? I havet been giving them oyster shell yet but perhaps I should get some today.

 

[chicks4kids]

One of my hens (who has been laying for months) was acting odd one night after dinner, so I sat down in my "scratch time" chair and she came over to me so I picked her up and sat her on my lap. Then within a minute or so I had a wet spot (like she pee'd - don't even think they do that) and then out popped a shell-less egg. Fully intact membrane/just a shell-less egg. And this was out of one of my experienced layers.

However, I can't remember if she layed an egg that day or not. I think it just happens.

 

[nature nut]

Sorry it took so long to reply. I've been out. I'd try to add the oyster shell or trickle the 1/2 of a tums crushed in a little water down the side of her beak with an eyedropper. You may also try posting a question about it in the diseases and emergencies section. There are a lot of knowledgable people in there and they may be able to tell you more than me. Good luck!