Strange egg shape

[Captain Quark]

I've got someone who is routinely laying an odd shaped egg. Very elongated. They are never fully intact (always have hairline cracks). Is this just a thing that happens or is this a sign of something I'm doing wrong that needs to be addressed?

 

[Kel60]

Calcium deficiency maybe? Could be making the shells to weak, making them deform. The cracks would support this. But wait for other to chime in, I'm not the expert.

What are you feeding them?
Do you know which one is laying the odd eggs?
What is that birds condition? Acting funny? Lethargic?

 

[Nabiki]

If it's just one hen, I'd be inclined to think it's something with her. Are they getting calcium either on the side or a high calcium layer feed?

 

[Captain Quark]

If it's just one hen, I'd be inclined to think it's something with her. Are they getting calcium either on the side or a high calcium layer feed?

They get organic turkey starter, grit with oyster and shell in it and I give them chicken eggshell on the side. I also give them fresh greens, sprouted red clover, occasionally dried mealworms, they peck up live red wigglers once in awhile, and a bit of a mixed seed (sunflower, millet, wheatgrass mostly).

I can't tell who is laying what in that pen. So I don't know who is doing it. I refreshed the bedding today so moved everyone out and looked at them all and they all look happy and well. Very tame and pleasant birds so I still have no idea.

 

[Captain Quark]

Calcium deficiency maybe? Could be making the shells to weak, making them deform. The cracks would support this. But wait for other to chime in, I'm not the expert.

What are you feeding them?
Do you know which one is laying the odd eggs?
What is that birds condition? Acting funny? Lethargic?

Answered below. I don't think my additions are enough to throw off the balance of the diet enough. They have access to calcium all the time, everyone is happy and eager to visit when I come to clean up twice daily. I don't know what birds lay what eggs. Three are white (with a bit of brown) and I've got three eggs daily that are noticeably larger than the others. I suspect the whites for this but still have never timed it right to see anyone in that pen lay an egg. I see the roo there managing the egg inventory carefully though

 

[Nabiki]

Sounds like it's the individual hen, then. I wouldn't set any of her eggs, but I'm sure they're fine to eat.

 

[Pequena ave]

Hello,
I had the same issue with one of my hens, I wanted to keep her (1.5 yrs old) because she was laying the biggest eggs that I wanted for the incubator, but for a few months nothing would change, I had increased calcium, protein content to no avail. She was dispatched and looking at her organs she had a huge fibroid almost same size as an egg that was interfering with the egg as it passed along her system. The fibroid was crushing, cracking the shell, sadly nothing can be done, eggs are still good to eat Fibroid's are actually very common in quail.
I put each bird in a tote around 3 pm to catch each bird lay the egg for that day, until I was sure I had the right female. Everyone gotta earn their keep, so I decided she had to go.. I found another female a few months later after dispatch with the same thing, just not as big.

I also did feel around in their bellys past their ribs cages first thing in the morning. If the fibroid is big enough there was an indication that it felt like another egg, so at that time that is what I assumed, just another egg. Going forward I will take note and separate bird to confirm and then off to the freezer.

 

[Captain Quark]

Hello,
I had the same issue with one of my hens, I wanted to keep her (1.5 yrs old) because she was laying the biggest eggs that I wanted for the incubator, but for a few months nothing would change, I had increased calcium, protein content to no avail. She was dispatched and looking at her organs she had a huge fibroid almost same size as an egg that was interfering with the egg as it passed along her system. The fibroid was crushing, cracking the shell, sadly nothing can be done, eggs are still good to eat Fibroid's are actually very common in quail.
I put each bird in a tote around 3 pm to catch each bird lay the egg for that day, until I was sure I had the right female. Everyone gotta earn their keep, so I decided she had to go.. I found another female a few months later after dispatch with the same thing, just not as big.

I also did feel around in their bellys past their ribs cages first thing in the morning. If the fibroid is big enough there was an indication that it felt like another egg, so at that time that is what I assumed, just another egg. Going forward I will take note and separate bird to confirm and then off to the freezer.

Thanks for this comment. I might try separating until I can find out who is doing it. The past couple days have been normal eggs but I would like to know who to remove from possible breeding prospects. The fibroid makes sense. I'm curious to find out now!

 

[Pequena ave]

I had a small flock, I sort of knew who it was but separated just to be sure. They were all leg banded, this hen was an every day layer and I noticed in the end she was not Laying every day anymore. There were 2, 3+ days in between. I think her system was just completely taxed out which is why I try to turn over my stock before they are 2 years. I did feel their rump area in late afternoon and could tell who was gonna lay an egg that day. Not sure how big your flock is but if you could feel for the egg everyday and mark the one who is eggless? that would speed up the process of elimination.

 

[Ratchnick]

Its a new layer thing in my experience. It will stop and the eggs were still good.