Weird stuff on egg?

[Jeri2911]

Hi! So, one of my chickens is laying this egg that has crusty bubbles on it (not sure how else to say it) is that something I should be concerned about? Thank you for your help!

 

[KelseyBoxer]

That looks like calcium deposits. Nothing to worry about. Is the hen a new layer?

 

[AprilsZoo]

Excess calcium deposits. Typically not a problem, especially if she’s just started laying recently.
Did you recently change brand or type of feed, or get a new supply of oyster shell supplement? If it’s a new bag of oyster shell, it’s possible it had a slightly different smell or something, and she was drawn to it.
Another thought— have you been feeding back their eggshells to them? Maybe she was a piggy & over-indulged.

 

[Jeri2911]

That looks like calcium deposits. Nothing to worry about. Is the hen a new layer?

Great, thank you!
Actually no, she’s about a year old and been laying for awhile.

 

[Jeri2911]

Excess calcium deposits. Typically not a problem, especially if she’s just started laying recently.
Did you recently change brand or type of feed, or get a new supply of oyster shell supplement? If it’s a new bag of oyster shell, it’s possible it had a slightly different smell or something, and she was drawn to it.
Another thought— have you been feeding back their eggshells to them? Maybe she was a piggy & over-indulged.

I can’t think of anything different she’s eaten. She did have a blocked vent about a week ago. All better now. So maybe it was something to do with that?

 

[aart]

I can’t think of anything different she’s eaten. She did have a blocked vent about a week ago. All better now. So maybe it was something to do with that?

Why was her vent blocked?
It could have affected her shell gland.

What all and how exactly are you feeding?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Here's what the Egg Quality Handbook has to say about it. The EQH is primarily for commercial flocks but we can learn stuff from it.

https://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/egg-quality-handbook/17/sandpaper-or-rough-shells

If this type of stuff is a one-off occurrence and not consistent I figure everybody is entitled to an oops every now and then. It's when it becomes consistent that it might indicate a problem.

It could have something to do with that blocked vent but thinking how an egg is put together a week ago seems like a long time.

 

[CHlCKEN]

Calcium deposits. No worries. As aart mentioned, her shell gland could have been affected by whatever blocked her vent, but otherwise, it seems fine.

 

[AprilsZoo]

If she’s laid normally in between the time she was blocked and this egg, then her shell gland is probably just fine. Maybe she was just a little slow on its exit.... perhaps one of the other hens took a magazine into this hen‘s favorite nest box, and lost track of time...

Just watch her. If she has more weirdness, you know where to find us.

Btw, are you sure the egg was from that hen? Could it have been laid by another gal?