Q: Why are these eggs hard to crack

[chickensioux]

Quote:
I agree with this. My girl's eggs have good hard shell and I absolutely think it's from good feed, grit, free ranging, stress free lives.

 

[fowltemptress]

The question is not about a hard shell, but a tough membrane.

How tough is the membrane? I know mine aren't paper thin like the store's, but they don't make it particularly hard to crack the eggs.

 

[scbatz33]

Quote:
Me too. My newest layers have really hard shells but my older girls are much thinner. I think as they get older the shells tend to thin somewhat.

 

[cw]

crack a guinea egg, then youll see a tough shell

 

[Picky Chicky]

I noticed this with our eggs as well. I just chalk it up to them being really fresh.

Wait until you try to peel one of them when you hard boil it. Now THAT is a challenge! Tough little stinkers!

 

[RedStarDaddy]

I got fumble-fingered the other night and dropped an egg from 18" or so, and it hit the concrete floor of the chicken house and cracked. The membrane held, though. I was impressed.

RSD

 

[nwgirl]

Quote:
I could peel the shell and the membrane would hold the egg together.

I actually had to use force to crack the egg on the edge of the pan. According to what other people are saying here, it sounds like the membrane is normal. I just don't remember this with other fresh eggs I've had before, so it makes me wonder if its just because she's a new layer, the breed, or the feed.

Now I wonder if the fresh eggs I had before weren't so fresh. Does the membrane get thinner as the egg gets older?

 

[Beekissed]

I've also found a particular breed will have thicker, stronger shells....my Black Stars have the thickest shells of all. Most of my eggs are very difficult to crack. So difficult that I can throw them out of the coop for the dogs and they will not break. I've actually had to step on them for my older dog, as her teeth are pretty worn and she can't break the shells!

No grit, no oyster shells....just laying mash and free rangin'.

 

[lw2ndstar]

I've had the same problem - hard shells and TOUGH membranes from my Gold Star SL. She's been laying for about 20 days now and finally the membranes seem to be thinning a bit. I had to use a knife to "pop" the membrane before! Now I can just crack the egg pretty normally.

My girls are on Purina Layena pellets now, switched from Start'n'Grow, with plenty of grass and bugs, and treats from me!

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who had this problem.

 

[Eggs4Sale]

I have some chickens that lay eggs with strong membranes, and others with SUPER strong membranes. The super strong ones will retain the shape of the egg, as I'm breaking eggshell pieces off of the egg. Then it rips by the pressure of my thumb or I have to force it to tear. It's normal.

For comparison, when I crack open an egg that's developed a little but stopped progressing, the shell and membrane break open just by the slightest crack. I wonder why the membrane loses it's toughness then?