Odd eggs

[tlbmomma]

Hello! We have six Rhode Island Red Cross hens. They are less than a year old. About two months ago I started noticing that some of the egg albumins had a very thick, almost jelly consistancy. I thought that the eggs were freezing at night, as we do live in an area where it gets below freezing. Then I realized that the only eggs that were this way were lighter in color than the other eggs, and smaller. I am assuming that only one of my hens is laying these odd eggs. These odd egg shells don't seem to be as smooth as the others and can occasionally be pitted. The eggs taste fine, but I am curious as to what might be causing this. I have attached pictures of the egg in comparison to the rest of the eggs, the egg shell roughness, and the egg cracked in a pan. You can see in the picture of the cracked egg that part of the albumin is actually separated from the rest but holds its form.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Some eggs do have cloudy whites. It seems to be a random things as far as whether they will lay them like that.

If one hen is consistently laying an odd egg I would assume there's something wrong with her shell gland, and potentially the whole system.

Some things like certain illnesses can cause odd eggs. Too much calcium and not enough can cause troubles too. I have had less odd or lumpy eggs since I stopped feeding a layer ration and switched to an All Flock. They get their extra calcium from a bowl of free choice oyster shells, so they can regulate their own needs as opposed to getting too much sometimes on layer.

I do have a hen who consistently lays an egg with a wrinkled crack around the middle. It's what she has always done, some hens are like that.

 

[aart]

Some eggs do have cloudy whites. It seems to be a random things as far as whether they will lay them like that.

If one hen is consistently laying an odd egg I would assume there's something wrong with her shell gland, and potentially the whole system.

Some things like certain illnesses can cause odd eggs. Too much calcium and not enough can cause troubles too. I have had less odd or lumpy eggs since I stopped feeding a layer ration and switched to an All Flock. They get their extra calcium from a bowl of free choice oyster shells, so they can regulate their own needs as opposed to getting too much sometimes on layer.

I do have a hen who consistently lays an egg with a wrinkled crack around the middle. It's what she has always done, some hens are like that.

All this^^^

.....and Welcome to BYC!