"lumpy" egg shells?

[grullablue]

I've been taking care of a neighbor's chickens....and collecting eggs for them, and wondered about some of their eggs, then, low and behold, I got one of the eggs from my own hens this morning! Now I need to ask! I'm assuming maybe they need more calcium...but just in case it's another issue.... (and should we eat it or throw it out!)

The eggs have been beautiful until this one. It's not smooth, it's not round on one side, but has a dip in it, and it has textured lines on the other side.... just not a healthy looking egg. Is this just a calcium deficiency? If so, it's perfect timing, because just yesterday I picked up a bag of oyster shell and started them on it. They seem to like it.

But my neighbor's chickens...most of their eggs were like this! And small, and their chickens came from the same place mine did!

Thanks!
Angie

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I just read an article about this in a chicken magazine and it has a weird wrinkly looking shape if for some reason it cracks before the hardening process is complete. It happens if the hen is handled roughly or for some reason her ovary releases two yolks within a few hours of each other and causing the eggs to move more quickly through the oviduct. They are safe to eat though...crack it in a cup first so you can see it better.

 

[grullablue]

Thanks, wrinkly is a good word for what I was trying to describe...that's it! I guess for my neighbor's chickens that might make sense....they have a rooster who is pretty naughty with his girls I guess..... and with them gone, they've been cooped up for their safety.

Thanks for the input!
Angie

 

[Chicky Joy]

I was just thinking about something similar. I've noticed a few odd eggs in the last few days. They aren't too bad looking, the shape is just a little off. I guess I'd describe them as more wrinkly than lumpy but similar anyway. Is that a problem if the egg is only a bit different in shape?

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I have that article here in front of me and they have pictures of wrinkly/misshapen and flat sided eggs..all have different reasons as to why this happens. VERY good article. I learned a lot from it. And they also have a reason for chalky eggs too. The misshapen egg is no cause for concern but a hen will pass the trait on to her progeny. HEHE the flat shaped egg happened when a hen crash landed off the barn roof!

OH MY! Poor hen.

 

[Chirpy]

Hangin Wit My peeps - is it possible to put that article on here? I'd love to see it.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

The wrinkly looking ones crack while still inside the hen and then harden over that crack which causes the wrinkle...I suppose a rough roo could do that

It also says that if the eggs are too close in the oviduct the last egg can crash into the first one and then harden over that area again making weird shaped eggs. Very weird looking eggs can be caused by a hen being too old or by maturing pullets that have been vaccinated for a respiratory disease. They may also have IB (infectious bronchitis).

 

[cherrychicken]

does that mean i can't hold mine anymore?

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Let me see if I can get hubby to do it. I'm not sure if it can be done or not...we don't have a scanner...It's in the Backyard poultry magazine volume 3 number 4 August/September 2008 issue. I wonder if they have that mag online? Let me see what I can do. It's a long article but VERY useful! It's two pages long and has pictures too which is really nice to be able to SEE the egg rather then guess what it looks like. Hubby may be able to do it from his work...but it will take a while to get on here ...were not leaving for town for a few hours yet. I will let you know.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

does that mean i can't hold mine anymore?

I hold mine all the time and she is fine

I wouldn't go squeezing them or anything