My eggs are cracked in the same spot every day

[wberry85]

For some reason my brown eggs are slightly cracked near the top of the egg every day and I am not sure why. Are the hens doing it? Is it accidental? I thought so but cracked in the same spot every time? I have 3 barred rock hens and it has been this way for several weeks now. I also have 3 other Araucana hens and my blue eggs are fine. Pic of egg for reference.

 

[Sphinx]

Is there soft nesting material where they lay?

I put shavings in my nest boxes, and I would see similar cracking. I realized that my hens were kicking the bedding out and laying straight on to the wood.

I cut out some berber carpet scraps and put those in the nesting boxes, then put the shavings over the top. No more cracked eggs.

 

[wberry85]

Is there soft nesting material where they lay?

I put shavings in my nest boxes, and I would see similar cracking. I realized that my hens were kicking the bedding out and laying straight on to the wood.

I cut out some berber carpet scraps and put those in the nesting boxes, then put the shavings over the top. No more cracked eggs.

I bet this is it. The carpet is a good idea. Every time I put fresh hay in there they always scratch it out of the way so I just let them be. I guess I was just confused as to why the blue eggs dont do it, but their shells are a little thicker normally.

Thanks.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

The carpet works well. We have some outdoor carpeting squares under the straw in our nest boxes. It works very well when you want to clean out the boxes, too--you just pull out the carpet and shake it off.

We find that straw keeps the eggs much cleaner than shavings do.

Oh, and do you really use hay in the nest boxes? Hay's supposed to go up over $10/bale this winter. Some nice wheat or oat straw will do just as well.

 

[wberry85]

The carpet works well. We have some outdoor carpeting squares under the straw in our nest boxes. It works very well when you want to clean out the boxes, too--you just pull out the carpet and shake it off.

We find that straw keeps the eggs much cleaner than shavings do.

Oh, and do you really use hay in the nest boxes? Hay's supposed to go up over $10/bale this winter. Some nice wheat or oat straw will do just as well.

I just grab a grocery bag full from the barn and it lasts for months. The girls keep it pretty clean in the nesting boxes, much cleaner than my leghorns, so the hay lasts a long time.

 

[CuteTxChicks]

I use hay, cause it's free in my case. I also use fallen leaves. Anything soft keeps the eggs clean and not cracked!

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

I use hay, cause it's free in my case. I also use fallen leaves. Anything soft keeps the eggs clean and not cracked!

Free hay?!?!? Send some my way!

It's been driving me crazy this fall, seeing all the almost-free horses and ponies on craigslist that people can't afford to keep over the winter. I would SO love to buy one, but I know that I can't afford the hay, either.

 

[browning6]

i have had the same things happen with one of my hens and thought for sure she was pecking the egg until i noticed that every egg was cracked in the same spot. then i actually watched some of my hens lay a few eggs and all three of them stood up then the egg dropped out and in my case fell onto the bare wood since they had scratched out all of my straw. The impact was audible it hit so hard. I then realized the cause of the cracks. It is the projectile laying. so i just try to keep straw in the boxes and it has helped dramatically.

 

[duckinnut]

From what I can see in the picture it doesn't look cracked more like a bad ink jet in the coloring process. I have a RSL that often has these squiggly lines on the shell such as those. Can you see the egg sac inside the shell?