Shell-less egg and possible lash??

[Shugercube]

Okay, I think I’m looking at lash egg, can anyone confirm? It’s soft and kinda mucousy??

I have 3 known *new* layers right now. One has been laying for about 4 weeks, another for 2, and the third about a week. I got a fourth egg today, without a shell. There was this yellow wad of gunk next to it.

Can too much light cause a shell-less egg? Yesterday some of my chickens were stalling going into the coop area and it was dark, so I turned on the set of fairy lights that are inside the coop, so they could see to get in and get settled when we turned off our flood lights. I forgot to go out and turn them off, so they had lights on all night

I feed them starter/grower mostly, sometimes an all-flock pellet if it’s cheaper at the time. They have 24/7 access to oyster shell, so there shouldn’t be a calcium issue. I’ve read this can sometimes just happen with new layers, so I’m hoping that’s all that is.

But the gunk- can that be a normal new layer thing also, or should I be concerned? How can I tell which hen laid this??

 

[aart]

Can you cut the suspected lash in half lengthwise and take more pics?

 

[Shugercube]

Can you cut the suspected lash in half lengthwise and take more pics?

I will try when I get back home! I didn’t think to dissect it lol

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Yes cut that in half so we can tell for sure. If it has a bunch of layers it's a lash egg.
As for who laid it? Its hard to say. Usually this happens to older hens.

 

[Shugercube]

Can you cut the suspected lash in half lengthwise and take more pics?

Yes cut that in half so we can tell for sure. If it has a bunch of layers it's a lash egg.
As for who laid it? Its hard to say. Usually this happens to older hens.

What exactly would I be looking for? Layers, like concentric circles?

 

[Shugercube]

Usually this happens to older hens.

Hmm, my oldest hen is only 7 months old!

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Hmm, my oldest hen is only 7 months old!

It's a sign of infection, but older birds are more likely to get a lash egg than a younger bird. It's Definitely not impossible though, just the most common scenario. I would have a look at the article about lash eggs, which goes into way more detail about it.

 

[aart]

What exactly would I be looking for? Layers, like concentric circles?

Yes.
Maybe google lash egg for images.

 

[Shugercube]

Ugh. Well I forgot that I had put it into the yuck pile BEFORE cleaning out the duck pen, so there’s no way of easily finding it now. I will definitely keep an eye out for more, and will cut into anything else weird I come across.

Thanks for your help y’all! I’ll update here if I find anything else