Laid a runny egg?

[mamamarye]

I can only assume that one of our hens laid an egg with absolutely no shell or any encasing...I've included a photo. Unfortunately, I found 4 of the hens eating it but I have since rinsed the area with several buckets of water.

Is this just a broken rubber egg or this particular hen just getting started laying? Or is it something muchworse? We have six barred rocks and are averaging 2-3 eggs a day and those just started laying in mid July. No rubber eggs that I have found in the coop.

Thanks for your feedback!

 

[MrPepers]

It could be caused by a lack of calcium, which is needed for the egg shell. I have had this problem before and I gave them crushed oyster shells which did the trick. You can get them at your local feed store.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My guess would be something or someone ate the shell. I've never had a hen lay an egg without any membrane.

 

[GC-Raptor]

New layers can lay an egg anytime, anywhere, till they get egg laying in sync, including soft shells. They most likely ate the membrane immediately. GC

 

[mamamarye]

It could be caused by a lack of calcium, which is needed for the egg shell. I have had this problem before and I gave them crushed oyster shells which did the trick. You can get them at your local feed store.

I added some more oyster shell in a small feeder after this. Thanks!!

 

[mamamarye]

New layers can lay an egg anytime, anywhere, till they get egg laying in sync, including soft shells. They most likely ate the membrane immediately. GC

Thanks for this feedback - I was quite shocked when I saw it so I feel a bit better about it!

 

[aart]

It can take up to a month or so for a new layers to get things smoothed out.
Thin or softshelled eggs are not uncommon during that time, and they are fair game for eating IMO. It won't necessarily make egg eaters out of them tho it is best to gather them up asap. If you don't find them immediately there is often only a wet spot to show where they were.

 

[danthechickenfarmer]

Sometimes 12 week old pullets lay eggs runny or with a thin membrane because of lack of calcium. If given grit or oyster shells in their diet, you should notice quite quickly that the eggs will have a stronger shell. this also indicates that the pullet is taking the right amount of calcium.

 

[aart]

Sometimes 12 week old pullets lay eggs runny or with a thin membrane because of lack of calcium. If given grit or oyster shells in their diet, you should notice quite quickly that the eggs will have a stronger shell. this also indicates that the pullet is taking the right amount of calcium.

I've never heard of a 12 week old pullet laying...that's mighty young.