So this may not be strange to anyone that has chickens for a long time but we've only had chickens for about two years and have never seen this happen before. I went out to put the chickies to bed and my OEG hen was sitting on her perch with her butt up, it looked like she was trying to go to the bathroom but couldn't. She was trying really hard and even let out a little toot! Finally after trying a few times, out plops this yolk and what looks like the lining of the egg right on top of my buff Orp hen's head!! So what I was wondering is why did she only plop out the yolk and that lining? They were on just regular chicken food for a while but we switched them about three months ago back to the layer. Did they need more calcium or something?
It could be a calcium issue if more than one of your girls are having soft eggs. One of my RSL hens lays a soft egg about once a week. Other than that she is fine. They are all on Purina Layena and I don't have any issues. I think their systems just goof every now and then. It usually seems to happen at night while on the roost. If it doesn't happen a lot then I wouldn't worry about it.
Some individual birds seem to need more extra calcium at times. If you aren't already, you might want to offer a dish of oyster shell or their own shells, cleaned, baked and crushed. I've read that it is more difficult for them to lay the soft eggs...which kind of makes sense.
Sometimes it's just a glitch in the system. I see it most often with the young pullets that are just starting to lay, but now and again an older bird (usually just before or after molting) will do something goofy. Putting oystershell out free choice is IMO cheap and easy insurance against problems from calcium deficiency. Some birds just need more then others and while layer is sufficient for most of them occasionaly one needs more. I feed gamebird to my flock so they always have the oystershell out too. I put it in a large rabbit feeder attached to the wall of the coop and sometimes spread some on the ground for them too. No problems with soft shelled or no shelled eggs other then the occasional glitch from the new layers or molting hen. Their ability to regulate their calcium intake amazes me, especially since they're so totally incapable of it when it comes to their favorite foods. ETA: How old is your OEG hen that layed the yolk egg?
Thanks everyone for your responses! Our hen is almost two years old, and I think she just got out of a very mild molt. Our other hens aren't laying so I really can't say much on the soft egg part... but my RIR bantam hen is starting to sit in the nest boxes and is chattering away in there so maybe she will lay soon? I hope!
Quote: It was sooo funny!! She just got up and booked it!! Poor thing, she probably is traumatized now!
