Two Odd Eggs - Soft but Solid Shell, and Fleshy Semi-Developed Egg

[GreyhoundGuy]

* admin - if this is the wrong forum, please feel free to move *

Hi all. I'm hoping you can help me out with a weird egg situation that my wife came upon today.

First of all, let me put all this out there:

• free feed DuMOR 16% Layer Pellets from TSC
• free feed (not mixed with feed, but available) grit and oyster shells
• hens are free range in back yard from 7am to 8pm
• egg production has dropped, in general, to 1-2 eggs per day total (over the last couple weeks)... attributed to Tropical Storm Harvey and weather changes
• sprayed backyard for ants / fire ants (due to increased water from Tropical Storm Harvey) 4 days ago with Bifen I/T, kept covered for 2 days
• while covered, no access to anything in area by chickens

My wife went out to check the girls today and collect some eggs and came upon two very different eggs. The first (on the right, found in the nesting box) was in a shell, but the shell is soft but still solid. You can see in the video that my wife can poke the shell and the shell can be pushed in, but when pushed in a different place, the previously poked version will come back up.

The second egg (on the left, found on the poop tray) isn't so much of an egg, but a fleshy semi-developed egg material. She eventually poked it with a trowel and what looked like a bloody yolk came out. She says it looked like the beginning of an egg, but like it didn't complete the development process.

We have had our five gals since May and they've always produced nice, solid shells. In fact, I've always commented about how I really need to whack them against the side of our cast iron pans to get them to break clean. We're talking really strong egg shells!

Could this be due to the spraying for ants / fire ants? We've sprayed in the back before where the chickens free range, and we've done the same measures (cover for 2 days), and we've never had anything like this. (In fact, we got another egg today and a couple yesterday that were completely normal, too.)

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

-Joel

 

[microchick]

Strange.

I was thinking the one might be a lash egg but they are usually solid and filled with a cheesy substance.

I have gotten thin shelled eggs on occasion from one of my hens. It's not unusual for hens to have glitches in their 'production line' on occasion. I would research up on the spray you used and keep an eye on things. No fire ants where we live thank goodness but if the problem continues I'd give the manufacturer a call.

 

[aart]

How old are the birds?

I can't see the vid(ISP probs) will look later.
Sounds like just a glitch, it happens, if eggs are now normal.
Might be impossible to say if insecticide had anything to do with it.

If you're free ranging, they may be laying out in range area.
Might want to confine them to coop and run for a time:
Free range birds sometimes need to be 'trained'(or re-trained) to lay in the coop nests, especially new layers. Leaving them locked in the coop for 3-4 days (or longer) can help 'home' them to lay in the coop nests. Fake eggs/golf balls in the nests can help 'show' them were to lay. They can be confined to coop 24/7 for a few days to a week, or confine them at least until mid to late afternoon. You help them create a new habit and they will usually stick with it. ..at least for a good while, then repeat as necessary.

 

[DrFeathers]

24wk BR Hen that started laying a week ago laid this pair today, soft squishy one was kicked out into the coop and the hard but indented one was sitting under the hen in the nest box. Tore open the membranous one and looked like a normal egg inside. Did not eat it. Haven't cracked the deformed one. Wonder if ok to eat?

 

[TexasSam]

The one on the left looks kinda like it is filled with poo instead of egg the other one like it has air in it. I didn't see anything that said what breed they are but I'm wondering is it very damp has the ground dried since you sprayed or has it stayed damp the whole time?

 

[aart]

24wk BR Hen that started laying a week ago laid this pair today, soft squishy one was kicked out into the coop and the hard but indented one was sitting under the hen in the nest box. Tore open the membranous one and looked like a normal egg inside. Did not eat it. Haven't cracked the deformed one. Wonder if ok to eat?
View attachment 1132617

Answered here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...hicken-in-one-day.396033/page-2#post-18955384

The one on the left looks kinda like it is filled with poo instead of egg the other one like it has air in it. I didn't see anything that said what breed they are but I'm wondering is it very damp has the ground dried since you sprayed or has it stayed damp the whole time?

Does look like some poop and blood and soft shell egg.
Hard to really see what is what and when.

I'm guessing new layer glitch...or older hen slowing down production to molt glitch.

 

[TexasSam]

Answered here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...hicken-in-one-day.396033/page-2#post-18955384
Bifen has A rule that says it needs to be completely dry before you let livestock in the area
https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/083520-00004-20130509.pdf

Does look like some poop and blood and soft shell egg.
Hard to really see what is what and when.

I'm guessing new layer glitch...or older hen slowing down production to molt glitch.

 

[aart]

Reposting @TexasSam's info to @GreyhoundGuy

Bifen has A rule that says it needs to be completely dry before you let livestock in the area
https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/083520-00004-20130509.pdf

 

[GreyhoundGuy]

Reposting @TexasSam's info to @GreyhoundGuy

Bifen has A rule that says it needs to be completely dry before you let livestock in the area
https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/083520-00004-20130509.pdf

Thanks. I thought that was what I had seen in their manual.

We let the area dry for two days without letting the hens near the areas, so i think we were okay there.

Yesterday we got an egg that was fine, so I'm guessing both of the eggs were glitches. We're definitely keeping our eyes on things to make sure everyone's okay. So far, we haven't seen anything abnormal besides those two. All the hens are acting sweet and goofy like normal, eating, pooping, etc., so I think we're okay. Probably just a glitch.

Thanks, everyone!

-Joel

 

[GreyhoundGuy]

Quick update. Since the two very odd eggs, things have been back to normal. We've been getting average number of eggs each day (2-3) and no other issues with the eggs. Hopefully this was just a glitch as mentioned by others above.

Thanks, all!

-Joel