Scrumbly-shelled egg

[BigBlueHen53]

So ... Worst-case scenario, if she has a defective SHELL *gland, what can I expect? Will she die, or just stop laying, do you think? I mean, if she's just helping herself to too much OS all of a sudden, why would she do that and what would I do about it? I can't see it being a copper deficiency, or all the hens would have it.

*Stupid spell check keeps putting apostrophes where not needed. Gah!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Have you been using antibiotics?

Nope. None of the other causes seem at all likely.

 

[cherrynberry]

So ... Worst-case scenario, if she has a defective SHELL *gland, what can I expect? Will she die, or just stop laying, do you think? I mean, if she's just helping herself to too much OS all of a sudden, why would she do that and what would I do about it? I can't see it being a copper deficiency, or all the hens would have it.

*Stupid spell check keeps putting apostrophes where not needed. Gah!

@Eggcessive ? @Wyorp Rock ?

I dont actually know...

 

[BigBlueHen53]

O

@Eggcessive ? @Wyorp Rock ?

I dont actually know...

K, thanks.

 

[Eggcessive]

If the shell gland is a problem, then no amount of calcium will help. Most hens will nit take oyster shell if they don’t need it. They have a built in way of knowing if they need it. Oviduct issues are just a very common problem with hens. I had a 1 year old hen who was injured by a dog, and her shell gland section of her oviduct was injured. She was out best layer of large eggs with hard shells. That day was the last she laid for about 4 months, since the stress put her into a molt. When she resumed laying her shells were either very thin or the eggs just covered by a membrane. She died about 18 months later of egg yolk peritonitis.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

If the shell gland is a problem, then no amount of calcium will help. Most hens will nit take oyster shell if they don’t need it. They have a built in way of knowing if they need it. Oviduct issues are just a very common problem with hens. I had a 1 year old hen who was injured by a dog, and her shell gland section of her oviduct was injured. She was out best layer of large eggs with hard shells. That day was the last she laid for about 4 months, since the stress put her into a molt. When she resumed laying her shells were either very thin or the eggs just covered by a membrane. She died about 18 months later of egg yolk peritonitis.

Thanks, @Eggcessive. Is there any way to tell, by physically examining every member of the flock, which one is laying this funky egg?

 

[HappyClucker7]

Thanks, @Eggcessive. Is there any way to tell, by physically examining every member of the flock, which one is laying this funky egg?

You can put some food coloring on their vents, and then the egg will get colored as it comes out.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You can put some food coloring on their vents, and then the egg will get colored as it comes out.

I have 20 hens, not that many shades of food coloring, lol. But I appreciate the suggestion. First time I heard this it made no sense, but I have since discovered gel food coloring, not the liquid we used when I was a kid. Pretty sure that would be dry by morning!

 

[Eggcessive]

I have to apologize. I just now saw the wrinkled or corrugated egg shell picture. That is very common with infectious bronchitis, although it can be caused by other problems. I had that in my flock in the early years. I only saw one or two like that, but later saw some other odd shells shown in this link:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/

I would just try to spend time near your coop popping in and out during the morning to see who is laying.

 

[cherrynberry]

I have 20 hens, not that many shades of food coloring, lol. But I appreciate the suggestion. First time I heard this it made no sense, but I have since discovered gel food coloring, not the liquid we used when I was a kid. Pretty sure that would be dry by morning!

Can you set up a camera at the nesting boxes?