Slimy Covering On Egg - What and Why?

[cnodgaard]

When I was gathering the eggs last night, I picked up an egg that was wet and slimy.

I only have two girls laying and am (im)patiently waiting on my two big Orpington girls to start. At first I thought the egg had frozen and cracked open, but it was too wet. What happened?

Thanks everyone!

 

[Petej]

I get wet slimy ones too. It could be excess liquid from the egg laying machine inside her.

I'm sure someone will chime in here....

 

[gritsar]

If you gather an egg very soon after its been laid, the bloom could still be fresh and not dried. I consider it to be more sticky than slimy, but I assume that's what you are noticing. Perfectly normal.

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
My thoughts exactly, especially if it is really warm as well. Give it a minute or two to dry.

 

[ChickaChickaChooCho000]

This is INCREDIBLY late, but it’s early March and it’s still basically winter weather outside. It’s 4pm, and I just experienced the same situation. I randomly saw an egg outside on the icy snow about 15-20ft from their coop. It wasn’t cracked at all but it was slimy and had some sort of excess layer around it that I could peel when I brought it to the sink, almost like egg whites but on the outside. It was odd but when I cracked it, seemed like a normal egg. Maybe they just didn’t have the time to walk back to the nest box? Not sure if that was my Muscovy duck or just one of the older hens who couldn’t make it to the nest box on time. First odd phenomenon for me but probably common.