Weird first egg at exactly 18 weeks

[Ccort]

I just found this broken egg and it was right below their roost in the coop. I think maybe they laid it at night or early AM?
It's has a soft/almost slightly crispy shell and is broken. I'm brand new to this but almost looks like the shell wasn't "done" by being softer in one area than the other.
I have no clue what chicken laid this.
1. Is this normal?
2. How should I proceed?
3. Why wouldn't they have laid it in a nest box?

Note...I am just switching them from chick grower to all flock food. Currently transitioning and just set oyster shells out today, before seeing this.

 

[Ccort]

My breeds are also supposed to lay either blue eggs or brown.

 

[TooCheep]

By "new to this", do you mean this is your first egg or likely the first for that chicken?

Odd eggs aren't that unusual for the first try or two- small eggs, double-yolkers, shell-less, etc. Their systems need to get into the flow of how to properly produce a full egg. Definitely a good idea to offer calcium on the side and not mixed in with their feed. All-flock is a very good option, but doesn't have enough calcium to support regular egg-laying.

As for not laying in the nest, that is also normal for the first try or two. Make sure to have fake eggs or golf balls in the nests. The next time that chicken gets "that feeling", they'll want to go where others have laid and should end up in the nest box.

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

Looks like it's been there long enough to get a maggot? Those first eggs can be crazy weird.

 

[Ccort]

By "new to this", do you mean this is your first egg or likely the first for that chicken?

Odd eggs aren't that unusual for the first try or two- small eggs, double-yolkers, shell-less, etc. Their systems need to get into the flow of how to properly produce a full egg. Definitely a good idea to offer calcium on the side and not mixed in with their feed. All-flock is a very good option, but doesn't have enough calcium to support regular egg-laying.

As for not laying in the nest, that is also normal for the first try or two. Make sure to have fake eggs or golf balls in the nests. The next time that chicken gets "that feeling", they'll want to go where others have laid and should end up in the nest box.

New to having chickens! Will a rock in the nest work?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

First attempts are often unusual eggs as the hen's body begins to gear up.

If the photos indicate correctly, it looks like a soft-shelled egg (sort of a water balloon with yolk/egg content in middle).

That can be a sign of low calcium. New layers do need to load up on calcium so the oyster shell will be important.

I'd personally put them on layer feed rather than all flock (unless you are trying to feed a lot of other bird types...ducks, turkeys, etc). Grower, if you meant that, is meant for meat birds and has a lot of protein but very little calcium. Chick starter is typically what most have their chicks to young pullets on which has moderate calcium and moderate protein with high vitamins and minerals. At about 14 weeks of age (depending on breed) I begin to transition to layer to help them load calcium for laying. I seem to get the best results with layer feed due to its high absorbable calcium.

But you can place them on flock raiser (slightly different than all flock) or all flock especially if you have roosters while providing oyster shell on the side, free feed.

In time, this should work itself out.

Congratulations on the new layer

LofMc

 

[Ccort]

By "new to this", do you mean this is your first egg or likely the first for that chicken?

Odd eggs aren't that unusual for the first try or two- small eggs, double-yolkers, shell-less, etc. Their systems need to get into the flow of how to properly produce a full egg. Definitely a good idea to offer calcium on the side and not mixed in with their feed. All-flock is a very good option, but doesn't have enough calcium to support regular egg-laying.

As for not laying in the nest, that is also normal for the first try or two. Make sure to have fake eggs or golf balls in the nests. The next time that chicken gets "that feeling", they'll want to go where others have laid and should end up in the nest box.

Looks like it's been there long enough to get a maggot? Those first eggs can be crazy weird.

Apparently yes, there's a maggot. I didn't even see it until I took the pic. I couldn't figure out why there were a bunch of flies in my coop today...started scooping and found it. Blended right in with the bedding. It's rather disturbing, to be honest

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Rocks typically do not work that well. If you have a ping pong ball or golf ball laying around, those work.

Place in nests to encourage proper nest habits.

LofMc

 

[TooCheep]

New to having chickens! Will a rock in the nest work?

Not sure if it would fool them. You might use a store egg and consider it a throw-away after a few days. Mark it, so you will know which one is the dummy egg.

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

In this weather it could be a short time. I really didn't mean to startle you. Easly missed with that small size