She just laid an egg without shell in front of me, do I need to be worried?

[linguini]

Since today is the coldest day we have had this winter, I gave my chooks some extra end of day treats.

While all of them were excited and going crazy with the black sunflower seeds and mealworms, I noticed Clove - our Olive Egger, who is usually the leader and often jumps up to my bag/bowl - was standing in the corner, all fluffed up and looking strange. I tossed some treats in front of her to get her attention, but she still stood there looking funny. I thought she might be sick, walked to her and bent over to offer her the mealworms in my hand. She took two steps to get the worms, and a fluid egg with white and yolk came out of her, no shell! All the chooks immediately frantically gobbled up everything.

Clove is almost 7 months old, just laid an egg around 6:30 this morning, her cycle should be 25 hours or so (we record time/weight of every egg laid - nerdy first time chooks parents!). She started laying in mid December.
Should I be worried? Does this indicate protein or calcium deficiency? Her eggs are usually normal with pretty strong shell. And she always lay eggs in her preferred nesting box. BTW, my other poulette, a Blue Bell, also laid a somewhat deformed egg this morning (a little bubble bulge on shell).

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Has she been acting weird at all? Do you supplement calcium? What do you feed?

 

[TheOddOneOut]

It’s possible there was just a “disruption” and something happened what disturbed the egg cycle, like a predator walking around the coop at night, or a storm.

 

[linguini]

I am in the midst of experimenting the feeds - currently:
unlimited 16% layer feed in one feeder,
20% flock raiser in another,
oyster shell on the side
and I give them wet mash twice a day (16% layer feed)

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Clove is almost 7 months old, just laid an egg around 6:30 this morning, her cycle should be 25 hours or so (we record time/weight of every egg laid - nerdy first time chooks parents!). She started laying in mid December.
Should I be worried? Does this indicate protein or calcium deficiency? Her eggs are usually normal with pretty strong shell. And she always lay eggs in her preferred nesting box. BTW, my other poulette, a Blue Bell, also laid a somewhat deformed egg this morning (a little bubble bulge on shell).

Do they have access to a formulated ration also? Oyster shell on the side. etc? What is the normal feed routine?

Sounds like a new layer, more daylight.. hiccup to me. I would not be worried unless it repeats regularly. Expect lay rate to increase as light does in accordance with their genetics. IOW.. your 25 hour thing might not hold true through spring/summer.. but, WOW.. I HOPE you will write up an article to post on here about your findings!

Do you have a photo of the weird egg from the blue bell?

Hoping all is well!

 

[linguini]

It’s possible there was just a “disruption” and something happened what disturbed the egg cycle, like a predator walking around the coop at night, or a storm.

It could be the strong wind that makes a lot of rattling noise that spook them. The wind is very strong today.

 

[Ducky Boy]

that should be all right, my duck did that once, but she laid a good one the next day....she should be fine, i think

 

[MegsEggsx]

One of mine did this about a month after beginning to lay too. She then laid a fairy egg the next day and was fine after that. Just give her some calcium and she should be ok, good luck!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I am in the midst of experimenting the feeds - currently:
unlimited 16% layer feed in one feeder,
20% flock raiser in another,
oyster shell on the side
and I give them wet mash twice a day (16% layer feed)

Flock raiser with oyster shell on the side is the superior choice of the two.. what are the amino acid level differences?

With that stated.. I concur (with myself ) that's it was PROBABLY a hiccup.

Keep your eye open because these sort of hiccups *can* become egg binding which is life threatening.. if it's too soft to move on through.. So if she act's weird or off take action asap!

The calcium deposited to eggs is done so from a shell gland that get it's source from the keel bone.. a hen will sacrifice her own bones to lay a solid shell.. hence hiccup of the shell gland/reproductive system working it's kinks out, most likely according to information seen so far.

Usually if "quick" calcium like tums is given it's to support muscle contractions during binding.

 

[linguini]

Do they have access to a formulated ration also? Oyster shell on the side. etc? What is the normal feed routine?

Sounds like a new layer, more daylight.. hiccup to me. I would not be worried unless it repeats regularly. Expect lay rate to increase as light does in accordance with their genetics. IOW.. your 25 hour thing might not hold true through spring/summer.. but, WOW.. I HOPE you will write up an article to post on here about your findings!

Do you have a photo of the weird egg from the blue bell?

Hoping all is well!

It's kind of difficult to see from the photo - the egg on the right was from day before yesterday. The egg on the left is from today. I also noticed all of them have reduced laying frequency (same cycle but more rest days in between) this last week. (I experimented FF feed for two weeks, just stopped 3 days ago, they liked it the first week, and not interested 2nd week, so I only give them wet mash starting 3 days ago)