Strange egg laid today - there was yolk on the outside?

[Luther465]

This is my first year with chickens - I have 13 Golden Wyandottes. I love raising the girls and they are sooo much more fun then I ever expected! I got them as day olds in late May, they have been laying eggs since late October. I think they are all laying now as I get a high of 10 eggs and a low of 6 eggs each day ~ even in the cold of NE PA. But today I went out and there was an egg that appeared to have yolk on the outside of the shell. I of course checked to see if another egg broke and this was the cause. But it was the first egg of the day and there was no signs of another egg or that one had broken in the straw in the nest box. I'm stumped - any ideas what could cause this? Thanks for the help!

 

[Mac in Wisco]

It was probably another broken egg. They can be fairly quick about scarfing up any broken eggs leaving just a little yolk here and there.

 

[FisherMOM]

Quote:
I agree...that happens here sometimes. They eat every bit exept what is on another egg it seems! As long as they don't learn to break them and eat them.
I think it happens here when one is in the nest and another tried to get in, and they scuffle.

 

[Luther465]

Thanks for the input - I'll keep my eyes open for any egg breaking.

 

[rdranch]

It could have been a "wind or fart" egg that created the opportunity to eat eat something they shouldn't. I usually find them on the droppings board but they can happen in the nest box. You may want to put some fake eggs or golf balls in the nest boxes to discourage going after eggs.

At this time of year they can have allsorts of minor issues with laying a good egg.

just keep a close eye on things when you can and good luck!

Almost forgot, make sure they have access to some oyster shell for needed calcium!

 

[jefferiesgang]

I had one just like this today but the ENTIRE EGG was covered with the yolky stuff. You can see lines on the sides like it came out covered in it. It was stuck to the pine shavings under it. We keep golf balls in the nesting boxes all the time, they didn't want to lay in the boxes if they were removed, so I figure they can have them. We have 8 chickens and 4 nesting boxes so I'm not sure why they would fight over the one box. Does the yolk ever form on the outside of the egg? I'll crack it open and see if one is inside, it was smaller than her usual eggs.