Help! I found something...

[PoultryGirly]

Hi guys. Today when I opened up the nesting box door, I found 2 eggs like I usually do. A green one and a brown one perfectly formed. My barred rock and my EE are laying. I also have a cochin that is not laying. But today, I found a piece of brown egg shell connecting together by shell membrane. I am so worried! I don't know if it was from the barred rock hen and she layed an extra piece, or if it is from the cochin that is not laying. They all seem to beacting fine. I hope the cochin isn't egg bound or something. What are your thoughts?I'll try to upload a picture, but it probably won't work for me. Thanks in advance!

 

[aoxa]

Huh.. I can't picture the egg situation you are describing. Visuals will help.

Don't jump to conclusions yet.

 

[PoultryGirly]

I'm still trying to load a picture!!! I'll give you more detail. It is brown and is the size and shape of a small shrimp. It looks like it was glued together on paper like a puzzle. Hope that helped a little. It's just piece of eggshell!

 

[Baxter-Shamo]

Im still unable to imagine this, It could be anything. I think we need a picture for sure.

 

[PoultryGirly]

This is a bad pic, but the best I can get. My hand is in the background, and the shell just has dirt on it. If nedded, I dould get a pic of the inside!

 

[Den in Penn]

Looks to me as if an egg broke and they ate the rest of if leaving just part of the shell. Eggs sometimes have weakness that cause them to break on being laid. Could just be one of those.

 

[thomaschickens]

I wouldn't worry too much about it yet. i have had a few days where i would find little pieces of egg stuck to the outside of another egg. My guess was exactly what Den in penn said...an egg was broken and the girls decided to have it as a snack. I don't know if a chicken spit out a softer shelled egg or if it got broken afterwards by feet, another egg being laid on it etc. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about

For some reason ALL of my girls prefer one box, even though there are 6 identical boxes I have to check multiple times a day so that i don't end up with more broken eggs.

 

[PoultryGirly]

Looks to me as if an egg broke and they ate the rest of if leaving just part of the shell. Eggs sometimes have weakness that cause them to break on being laid. Could just be one of those.

I hope so!!!! Thanks!

 

[PoultryGirly]

I wouldn't worry too much about it yet. i have had a few days where i would find little pieces of egg stuck to the outside of another egg. My guess was exactly what Den in penn said...an egg was broken and the girls decided to have it as a snack. I don't know if a chicken spit out a softer shelled egg or if it got broken afterwards by feet, another egg being laid on it etc. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about

For some reason ALL of my girls prefer one box, even though there are 6 identical boxes I have to check multiple times a day so that i don't end up with more broken eggs.

Thanks for more advice. I also have 6 identical nesting boxes in my Amish style chicken coop. Another question! My barred rock hen usually lays everyday. But Monday, she didn't lay. She layed yesterday, but not today! What's happening? Surprisingly, my EE hen is a better layer!

 

[Den in Penn]

Most hens take a day off once and a while. If they are new layers they may even take more time while ramping up production.