Very large cracked egg

[Samc9061]

Hey everyone I'm new to raising hens for eggs and I'm trying my best to do everything right for them. I've had a few issues within the past few days with soft skin shells, no shell, and broken and or cracked eggs being laid by the hens. I've made sure they have the right feed, shells, and grits available at all times and make sure to refill water at least twice a day if not three. My concern is the large egg in the post and if there is anything else I can do to help my hens lay safely and healthy eggs? Also would the large egg be safe to eat or does it need to be thrown away?

 

[eggsandhens]

a large egg most likely means it has two (or maybe even three) yolks in it! it is up to you whether you eat it or not. it doesn't look terribly cracked, and I've eaten eggs more cracked than that, so I don't know if it would harm you to eat it (if it was cracked and spilling out then I wouldn't). I have gotten a few double (and even a triple) yolkers in my time of raising chickens, and I eat them all the time. I would just crack it into a bowl before you put it in the frying pan

 

[Thunder344]

POOR HEN!!!! That thing is massive!
I have a tiny leghorn who lays giant eggs every day. What is your nesting box setup? Even though you see hens sitting down in nesting boxes, they actually stand up to lay eggs.
No shelled eggs, soft shelled eggs, etc. is a calcium problem. You can buy some crushed oyster shells at your feed store if you feel like you should do that to give them the calcium they need to lay thick shelled eggs.
That large egg doesn't look like it need to be thrown away. I wouldn't be surprised if that egg is a couple yolker, or has another egg inside of it. There's nothing you really can do to make them lay smaller eggs. Do you know how old the girl who laid that is? When hens start laying eggs, they have to work out some kinks and get into the cycle of laying eggs. It's pretty common for new egg layers to lay weird eggs.

 

[eggsandhens]

POOR HEN!!!! That thing is massive!
I have a tiny leghorn who lays giant eggs every day. What is your nesting box setup? Even though you see hens sitting down in nesting boxes, they actually stand up to lay eggs.
No shelled eggs, soft shelled eggs, etc. is a calcium problem. You can buy some crushed oyster shells at your feed store if you feel like you should do that to give them the calcium they need to lay thick shelled eggs.
That large egg doesn't look like it need to be thrown away. I wouldn't be surprised if that egg is a couple yolker, or has another egg inside of it. There's nothing you really can do to make them lay smaller eggs. Do you know how old the girl who laid that is? When hens start laying eggs, they have to work out some kinks and get into the cycle of laying eggs. It's pretty common for new egg layers to lay weird eggs.

I agree with this. it is definitely a calcium problem. OP, when you said you feed them shells, do you mean egg shells or oyster shells?

 

[Thunder344]

I agree with this. it is definitely a calcium problem. OP, when you said you feed them shells, do you mean egg shells or oyster shells?

Oyster.
I used to buy a bag of crushed oyster shells and put it in a dish for them. Once their egg production went up, I switched to egg shells.

 

[eggsandhens]

Oyster.
I used to buy a bag of crushed oyster shells and put it in a dish for them. Once their egg production went up, I switched to egg shells.

psst. I was talking to @Samc9061

but yes, @Samc9061 you should feed them oyster shells if you haven't already.

 

[Thunder344]

psst. I was talking to @Samc9061

but yes, @Samc9061 you should feed them oyster shells if you haven't already.

Oops.

 

[Samc9061]

POOR HEN!!!! That thing is massive!
I have a tiny leghorn who lays giant eggs every day. What is your nesting box setup? Even though you see hens sitting down in nesting boxes, they actually stand up to lay eggs.
No shelled eggs, soft shelled eggs, etc. is a calcium problem. You can buy some crushed oyster shells at your feed store if you feel like you should do that to give them the calcium they need to lay thick shelled eggs.
That large egg doesn't look like it need to be thrown away. I wouldn't be surprised if that egg is a couple yolker, or has another egg inside of it. There's nothing you really can do to make them lay smaller eggs. Do you know how old the girl who laid that is? When hens start laying eggs, they have to work out some kinks and get into the cycle of laying eggs. It's pretty common for new egg layers to lay weird eggs.

All if my hens are currently 5 months old. Yes I do feed them oyster shells. I bought that as soon as they started laying them. I have 6 chickens all together originally I thought I only had 3 hens. After having 3 to 4 eggs laid every so often I then realized that wasn't the case and may have 4 hens or maybe 5.

 

[Samc9061]

a large egg most likely means it has two (or maybe even three) yolks in it! it is up to you whether you eat it or not. it doesn't look terribly cracked, and I've eaten eggs more cracked than that, so I don't know if it would harm you to eat it (if it was cracked and spilling out then I wouldn't). I have gotten a few double (and even a triple) yolkers in my time of raising chickens, and I eat them all the time. I would just crack it into a bowl before you put it in the frying pan

Thank you! I would hate to have to waste it.

 

[Samc9061]

I agree with this. it is definitely a calcium problem. OP, when you said you feed them shells, do you mean egg shells or oyster shells?

Yes oyster shells bought them soon as I realized they were laying.