Teeny Tiny Egg in Poop?!

[Abbkayx]

I found this super super tiny egg, outside of the coop in / with a pile of poop. Is this normal? Could one of my hens been egg bound? They are all acting just fine, no weird behaviors. In a year in a half I have never ever gotten one this small. It’s about half the size of a typical bantam egg, if not a little smaller.

 

[The Phantom]

It looks like just a fart egg. Sometimes a young hen will lay one.

 

[Keeperofmunchkins]

It most likely will not have a yolk inside. I had a couple of eggs like that from a pullet once who laid twice in 24 hours - one normal egg and one miniature one. I don't think it's anything to worry about if it's just a rare occurance/one off and the hens seem to be acting fine.

 

[Hayduke27]

Over the years I have gotten a lot of fart eggs (or wind eggs). Sometimes they do have little yolks inside, though most of the time it's just whites I think. I have a window where I can put them and let them dry out. I have a pretty nice collection of dried out little "fart eggs". They are cool to show to guests, but be careful. If you break one, they are little stink bombs! Also, if you try to dry them out, do it in a safe place. They can occasionally break open due to gasses, and again, you'd have a stink bomb on your hands!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Fart egg, fairy egg, wind egg... I think old hens about to quit laying sometimes pass them, too...? I've gotten them when I had no pullets, only old ladies. There's something kind of sweet and whimsical about them.

 

[aart]

Yep, fairy, fart, wind, rooster eggs are usually from a tiny piece of tissue breaking loose from the reproductive tract, or an immature ova(yolk) and the body forms an egg around it. Color can be darker than 'normal' as the pigment coating released has to cover a much smaller area so is thicker. Can happen with any age layer, but more common with new or older layers.
I think it's explained in this excellent video, which is worth watching regardless:

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Thanks, @aart, that was outstanding! That was even better than the book Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Chickens ... But Didn't Know Who to Ask!

 

[Abbkayx]

Wow, fascinating! Thanks for all of your replies. & @aart for that video, pretty cool stuff.

Glad this is a normal occurrence lol.

 

[aart]

book Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Chickens ... But Didn't Know Who to Ask

Is that a real book?...not finding it via google.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

It was, but like I said, long ago. Its title was a takeoff on "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex... But Were Afraid to Ask." So... from the 60's, I'm thinking. Google may not be aware of it, but I read it so I know it was real.