Something wrong with my egg!

[chiliwillie]

Found the deformed egg today near the coop and the normal egg was laid today. We watched her lay the normal one. The other normal belongs to another hen. What is wrong with my baby’s?

 

[ChattyChickens4Life]

That's called a rubber egg. It's caused by a lack of calcium. I would supply crushed oyster shells or crushed eggshells that you microwaved for a minute. Good luck!

 

[chiliwillie]

That's called a rubber egg. It's caused by a lack of calcium. I would supply crushed oyster shells or crushed eggshells that you microwaved for a minute. Good luck!

Thanks for the help. Did not know if it was caused by illness or not. Will start her on some oyster shells today.

 

[21hens-incharge]

It can also just be a glitch in the system.

I have 31 birds and see these more from new layers and hens going into or coming out of molt.

Oyster shell should be offered free choice in a separate dish. They will pick up what they need.

 

[speckledhen]

It's not always a lack of calcium, though it can be. Hens who get a LOT of calcium can often just have a glitch in the system. Some hens are cannot adequately process the calcium they do eat on a daily basis-I've encountered that with a specific hen that I know was eating from the calcium hopper every day. Her eggs stopped being properly shelled after a year or two and never were right again, no matter how much calcium she consumed.

So there are several reasons it could be. Calcium is only one of them. But, do put some oyster shell in a separate hopper-a rabbit type feeder on the wall is a great one.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Sorry6 for the scare but chattychicken is right just a rubber eggs can happen every once in a while but yes offer oyster to all

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Shelless eggs happen. While they "can" be related to calcium insufficiency, that is not the only cause. In new layers, especially, and even in established hens, they are often simply a glitch in the system where the egg is expelled without the shell gland doing its job. Only when they become routine rather than exception is it indicative of insufficiency

 

[chiliwillie]

Thanks for the replies. I will offer her the oyster shells and keep a watch. Also, I feed her laying pellet feed. she’s only 6 or 7 months.

 

[21hens-incharge]

At that age I think it is likely a glitch.

 

[Eggcessive]

I had a hen who laid the largest hard shell egg in the coop. One day she was injured in a dog attack. Months later when she resumed laying after recovering from from serious injuries, she has always laid a thin or shell-less egg. Rubbery eggs can be common in young layers, and thin shelled eggs may be common in older hensor those who have been exposed to infectious bronchitis. It can be pretty common if you have a bunch of chickens for at least one to lay an odd egg. There is a good article called "Common egg quality problems," that can be informative if you do a search here or Google it.