Hole in egg shell - picture attached

[aschassberger]

Hi there, I collected eggs this morning and found one with a hole in it. Does it look like it was pecked, or maybe just happened to occur naturally? Any ideas? I think it came from my speckled sussex who just started laying on Christmas. They are on layer food, so it shouldn't be calcium problem. hmmm...

 

[FireTigeris]

I had a chicken that couldn't absorb calcium...

I supply layer and extra calcium (oyster shell)

It could be a claw mark/ puncture or a weak spot in the egg.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

The hole looks a little rough on the edges. i would suspect a chicken beak made that.

 

[theoldchick]

Beak or claw. I must say you have a beautiful thumbnail!

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Mostly likely a claw. Eggshells are still somewhat soft when they are laid. Its highly possible that the hen could have stepped on it before it was fully dry, thus allowing the claw to make the hole without the entire egg shattering.

 

[Kittymomma]

Beak or claw, but sometimes that happens by accident, specially if there are several eggs in the box or the hen does a lot of moving around to get things just right. It doesn't automatically mean that you have an egg eater, but if the shell seems weak it's a good indication that someone needs extra calcium and you should put some oystershell out if you don't already.

 

[Ridgerunner]

When the hen lays the egg, she stands up, so it falls a bit. That could be a beak or claw, but it could also be that it hit a nail head or something hard to cause that. I'd check the nest for something hard, especially a nail head sticking up a bit.

Is the egg shell really thin? It doesn't look like it to me but you are there holding it.

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
Yup--happens once in a while. It is one of those things like soft, misshaped and odd ball eggs that one never sees commercially because they are culled out but surprises BYC people.

 

[zazouse]

Quote:
Agreed

 

[elizabethbinary]

Forget the egg... what on EARTH do you do to get such pretty hands???!! THIS is the important topic.