Hen passing large egg

[Johnscj1]

I had my first experience with a hen trying to pass a large egg. I saw her pass the egg but before I could get back in the run the other hens were already around it. The egg was mostly intact but there was no yolk and the very tip was broken. I don’t know if the hens got to it and ate it or if it broke inside of her. This is a silly question but what end of the egg comes out first, the pointy end or the larger end? The pointy end was broken. She seems fine as I can’t catch her but should I do anything preventative just in case she has any of it inside of her? Thank you!

 

[azygous]

It would help to see a photo of this egg. What you may see as a broken end may be a gap in the calcium deposits which came up incomplete as the shell was forming in the shell gland. It's the pointy end that forms last.

If you do ever photograph an egg where size is one of the discussion issues, it will help us determine size if you place a familiar object next to it such as a ruler or something we are all familiar with to compare it to the size of the egg.

If an egg is missing the yolk, it may not necessarily mean there's stray yolk lingering inside the hen. Sometimes an "egg" forms around a stray bit of tissue that has sloughed of the lining of the oviduct.

If any egg material is left behind, the hen will be acting "off". She may have a watery discharge from her vent and may want to be in the nest box. She may be standing around inactive with her tail down or may be squatting. Normal behavior signals all is probably okay.

 

[Johnscj1]

It would help to see a photo of this egg. What you may see as a broken end may be a gap in the calcium deposits which came up incomplete as the shell was forming in the shell gland. It's the pointy end that forms last.

If you do ever photograph an egg where size is one of the discussion issues, it will help us determine size if you place a familiar object next to it such as a ruler or something we are all familiar with to compare it to the size of the egg.

If an egg is missing the yolk, it may not necessarily mean there's stray yolk lingering inside the hen. Sometimes an "egg" forms around a stray bit of tissue that has sloughed of the lining of the oviduct.

If any egg material is left behind, the hen will be acting "off". She may have a watery discharge from her vent and may want to be in the nest box. She may be standing around inactive with her tail down or may be squatting. Normal behavior signals all is probably okay.

Thank you. You’re right I should have got a picture of the egg. I have checked on her a few times and she still seems ok. She’s the smallest hen I have and the egg was larger than she typically lays. I will keep an eye on her and check for any off behavior.