Two shelless eggs stuck together?

[TaylorGlade]

We have lots of oyster shell and feed egg shells back. We also feed an all flock due to mixed ages and cockerels. All other eggs are normal - and thick shell.

What causes this?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Probably a glitch, especially if it's a new layer.

I'd just monitor and see if the problem continues.

 

[aart]

That's a freaky one for sure, don't think I've ever seen one.

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

We have lots of oyster shell and feed egg shells back. We also feed an all flock due to mixed ages and cockerels. All other eggs are normal - and thick shell.

What causes this?

probably just a printing error on a double yolk egg.

 

[TaylorGlade]

Probably a glitch, especially if it's a new layer.

I'd just monitor and see if the problem continues.

That's a freaky one for sure, don't think I've ever seen one.

Thank you. She's been laying since November or December I think. Unless it's one of our new olive egger - but they were just hatched in November. I suppose it could have been one of them, but they are pretty young yet. One of these eggs were full sized. Definitely an oddity. We've found a few shelless, but never attached.

We have rehomed two cockerels this week that were terrorizing the flock. We also moved a broody mama. And a couple of weeks ago, a pullet died from an enlarged heart. So the change in flock dynamics could have stressed her out.

Our eggs went from 24 a day, to 18 a day after the pullet died. And almost all the chickens abandoned that coop for the other one. In a week, production went back up to 21 (but we had lost a hen and had a broody).

After rehoming the boys, the eggs went to 14 and stayed low a couple of days! I didn't know it would impact them that bad. Yesterday, production would have been 22 - except for this one. So, between the changes, and the restart on laying...

Not an old veteran like you guys, but definitely never seen twinned softies.

Thanks for the input.

 

[aart]

never seen twinned softies.

It looks like there may be some shelling there?
Did you try to pry them apart a bit, to see if one is whole?

 

[TaylorGlade]

It looks like there may be some shelling there?
Did you try to pry them apart a bit, to see if one is whole?

No. I didn't think to do that. I believe David threw it away. But that would have been interesting to know though. If he didn't, I will try to scalpel it apart and video the results.

I know some people say they eat the soft eggs - but that she'll prevents bacteria intrusion, so not sure how safe that actually is.

 

[Shadrach]

It's caused by the egg being not being delivered from the Isthmus where the two membranes are formed to the uterous where the shell is formed. The next egg traveles down from the magnum and gets wedged against the stuck egg.
There is a hairpin bend below the isthmus and if an egg is going to get stuck before shelling this is the most likely spot.
If there is some weak shelling on the first egg then the problem is likely to be at the end of the hairpin bend and it is the second egg which has now attatched to the first that is preventing the first egg from being properly shelled and delivered.
It may be a temporary glitch, but if not, you need to identify which hen is having the problem. Unlike an eggbound hen where her posture will tell you there's a problem, soft eggs stuck further up the reproductive tract are likely to go unnoticed.
Calcium Citrate, not carbonate, may help. It seems that calcium citrate "encourages" the flow of eggs along the reproductive tract. I have no idea how this works.
Left untreated if the problem continues a number of eggs will be delivered from the infundibulum and back up through the magnum leading to a major blockage and eventual infection as the eggs cook inside the hen.

 

[TaylorGlade]

It's caused by the egg being not being delivered from the Isthmus where the two membranes are formed to the uterous where the shell is formed. The next egg traveles down from the magnum and gets wedged against the stuck egg.
There is a hairpin bend below the isthmus and if an egg is going to get stuck before shelling this is the most likely spot.
If there is some weak shelling on the first egg then the problem is likely to be at the end of the hairpin bend and it is the second egg which has now attatched to the first that is preventing the first egg from being properly shelled and delivered.
It may be a temporary glitch, but if not, you need to identify which hen is having the problem. Unlike an eggbound hen where her posture will tell you there's a problem, soft eggs stuck further up the reproductive tract are likely to go unnoticed.
Calcium Citrate, not carbonate, may help. It seems that calcium citrate "encourages" the flow of eggs along the reproductive tract. I have no idea how this works.
Left untreated if the problem continues a number of eggs will be delivered from the infundibulum and back up through the magnum leading to a major blockage and eventual infection as the eggs cook inside the hen.

Oh wow! Thank you so much. Now, I'm gonna have to figure out who did it. We have an electrician coming to run power to the coop this week (we are putting in a garden and do t have time ourselves). David plans on running wifi and putting in some POE cameras. I will ask him to train them on the nest boxes

Are there any other tips on catching which one did it? We have about 30 laying hens.

 

[Shadrach]

Oh wow! Thank you so much. Now, I'm gonna have to figure out who did it. We have an electrician coming to run power to the coop this week (we are putting in a garden and do t have time ourselves). David plans on running wifi and putting in some POE cameras. I will ask him to train them on the nest boxes

Are there any other tips on catching which one did it? We have about 30 laying hens.

Sorry, no. It could be a long process. If you can identify the hens that are laying shelled eggs that should narrow down the possibilities. However, if this is a temporary, or worse, an intermittent glitch then you've got your work cut out.