Two layers of shells

[TCCL]

Two layers of shell?? Friends, one of my broody hen’s chicks are hatching and I noticed when I was removing empty shells that one egg has two layers of shell. The outer layer is free as if the chick has emerged but there is an egg nested inside that shows no external pipping? It’s totally weirding me out. I have seen this in previous hatches (from different and unrelated hens!) here but none of the chicks ever made it out. How unusual is this extra layer of shell?

 

[Perris]

I suspect that what you're looking at is the broody's handiwork, tidying up after the hatch to pack egg shell bits into as small a space as possible and out the way of the chicks. Normally the two halves of the same shell are packed together, but maybe a whole unhatched egg got swept up in the action?

 

[TCCL]

I suspect that what you're looking at is the broody's handiwork, tidying up after the hatch to pack egg shell bits into as small a space as possible and out the way of the chicks. Normally the two halves of the same shell are packed together, but maybe a whole unhatched egg got swept up in the action?

Yes, friend. That has to be the explanation. Thank you