rubber egg ?????

[Buckhunter]

My wife went out to gather eggs this evening and came back to the house with a very strange egg !! ......... the shell was like rubber ........ just a light colored rubbery film that ressembled an egg shell but it was kinda translucent ........ we split it open with the point of a knife and a normal looking egg was inside !!!

Anyone ever seen anything like this ??? ............. anyone know what would cause it or if we should be concerned about it .

 

[birdlover]

It could indicate your hens need more calcium in their diet but, if I remember correctly, it can happen once in a blue moon for no reason. Still, I'd get some oyster shell to offer in a separate bowl 24/7. Are you feeding layer ration? What else do you feed them?

 

[sunnychooks]

Shelless eggs are fairly common when the chickens first start laying. It takes a while for their egg laying mechanisms to synchonize. If she is young I wouldn't worry about it UNLESS it's happening frequently. Then you may have a more serious issue to deal with. Birdlover is absolutely right about the oyster shell. I give mine free-choice, they get layer pellets and free range but very occasionally I still get a shelless egg.

 

[Buckhunter]

we are feeding layer ration and occasional shelled or ear corn treats . We have oyster shell in a bowl but they dont seem to eat it much . I need to make one of those PVC pipe feeders for the oyster shell ................ they are all young hens ................ a few may be just starting to lay

We have also had a few eggs ( speckled ) that have had a small hole pecked in them . But they didnt actually eat the egg . I think they were just pecking at the specks ?????

 

[sunnychooks]

It sounds as if this may be an egg that was laid by a pullet whose egg laying system is not yet in synch. Has this happened again since your first post? If it doesn't happen again, don't worry about it.
It sounds reasonable that the eggs may have been pecked at because of the speckles, but keep a close eye on that because if you have a hen that developes into an egg eater the others will learn. Then you will have a problem because it's very difficult to break that habit.

 

[Attack Chicken]

I agree with others. New layers or they need more calcium.

 

[sewincircle]

I believe it to be fairly common. I just learned that it can occure when the egg passes through the sysytem too quickly and does not have time to form. Keep us posted. I believe it will correct itself.

 

[ghillie]

I found 5 from my three when they first started laying. I was told to give them a little cod liver oil to help get them in sync. Since I have given them the cod liver oil I have not found anymore....

 

[Bec]

I have had 2 here like that. They were both layed after dog attacks like they were nervous and didn't finish! The one even bounced like a rubber ball!!! Pretty neat!